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A train company is advertising for a customer services apprentice to work for less than £3.80 per hour - about a third of the London living wage.

Southeastern is hiring the apprentice to work for 12 months from September for just £132.10 over a 35 hour week. The London Living wage currently stands at £9.15 per hour.

The advert invites applications from school leavers who can provide "exceptional service in a positive friendly and polite manner by taking a proactive approach to offering assistance and information to all our passengers."

Successful applicants must ensure "trains are dispatched safely and on time" as well as "checking tickets, operating the automatic gates, and promoting the safety of the gateline area".

They are also required to handle customer service enquiries.

Southeastern has recently faced a deluge of complaints from frustrated commuters over the redevelopment work at London Bridge station, which has caused lengthy delays for passengers.

The rail operator is the latest company to face criticism over its apprenticeship scheme.

Whilst the apprenticeship adheres to national minimum wage requirements for apprenticeships, campaigners claim it exploits young Londoners given the rising cost of living in the capital.

Tanya de Grunwald, who runs careers advice blog Graduate Fog, said the apprenticeship appeared to be a "new way to gain cheap labour" which the company was using to "keep their profits high".

She said: "Apprenticeships are appallingly badly paid - most earn a paltry £2.73 an hour. They have been touted as the miracle cure for youth unemployment but lately tougher questions are being asked about the quality of these so-called opportunities - in particular, whether employers gain more than the young person doing them.

"Southeastern's apprenticeship looks like a good example of the kind of position that is raising eyebrows among campaigners. I'm not even sure what an 'apprentice in customer services' means."

She added: "I would question whether Southeastern really wants to help young people, or whether they've simply spotted a new way to gain cheap labour and keep their profits high."

Phil Rogers, spokesman for the Dartford rail users group, which is served by Southeastern, said it appeared the company were "exploiting" young people to increase its front line staff.

He said: "It feels like exploiting the apprentice system to increase the front line staff.

"They've said in the past that apprentices go on to permanent roles and also spend time not on the front line.

"I got paid over £4 per hour 20 years ago on the checkouts at Sainsburys and they pay over £7 per hour now! And that is a less stressful job. Our youngsters deserve more money for a role like this apprenticeship."

Southeastern today said that all apprentices went on to work in full-time permanent roles within the company.

Scott Maynard, HR Director at Southeastern, says; “We have worked with the National Apprenticeships Scheme for more than four years and are proud to offer young people opportunities for employment. We take on 10 Customer Service Apprentices each year and over the last four years all of those who have completed the scheme now work in permanent posts within our company or at other organisations.

"We pay all of our apprentices above the Government specified minimum national wage plus also offer them the same travel benefits as our full time employees.

"Our apprentices are not utilised to fill any vacancies. They are supervised at all times and work to a structured programme that gives them the skills necessary for a long-term career in the rail industry and/or in other sectors.”