If my starting pay is way lower than my peers, and considering that the pay from my first job is likely to determine the pay of my future jobs, am I off to a bad start?

It does not matter how low your starting pay. It is about attitude for your first job.

At first glance, the dilemma of starting out with internship jobs or traineeship as your first career goes against conventional wisdom of starting out with blue-chip brand names. There are indeed initiatives by authorities for recent graduates to get hired on a temporary contract for up to a year, subjected to renewal.

Personally, I would think it depends highly on your (i) career goals and (ii) financial health. If you managed to land a stint at a company you like or a position that seem aligned with your long-term career goals, I would say “GO FOR IT!!!” even if the starting pay is less than ideal for a fresh graduate in normal times. The experience you gain and the people you meet might be able to help you next time, even if you choose not to stay in the same company after the contract is up. Furthermore, taking a job now doesn’t mean you stop looking out for other opportunities in your free time. You need to keep brushing up your CV and interviewing skills as you update your LinkedIn profile with new work experience earned during this period [If you need help with these, sign up for a free* consultation with me here :)] Having some income reduces the stress and anxiety for job-hunting and puts you in a better position to learn and strive in the current position as well as your future ones.

There are lots of good comments already so i would just share some statistics for your reference. And, never stop fighting for what you desires.

Fresh graduate 2012 - $3.0k

2013 - $3.1k

2014 - $3.2k

2015 - $3.4k

2016 - $3.6k

2017 - $4.0k

2018 - $4.8k (changed job)

2019 - $7.5k (changed job)

Now - $8k+

Kind of (It happened to me). But you can fix it. Especially if you are hard working and delivering value. Also, never uderestimate the power of asking. Good Luck.