I think we are forgetting here what is important. 'This friend' is actually doing something she really wants to do apparently. The wage will increase as she gains more experience.
Apprenticeship pay is rubbish, but as an alternative to university or college it is a top rate rooute. I am at university at the moment, doing something I want to do and instead of getting �85 a week I pay out nearly 4 times that.
It is slave labour and it is harsh, nobody denies that. In an ideal world minimum wage would be ideal but the important thing these days is the piece of paper saying you can do it!