A Guide for Business Owners: How to Take On an Apprentice

No matter what sector your company operates in, taking on an apprentice will be sure to benefit you in so many different ways. It will inject your organization with a breath of fresh air, and it will help you to future-proof your workforce, and, most importantly, it will help a young, inexperienced worker take the first crucial step on their career ladder.

Should you decide to go down this hiring route, it’s highly recommended that you heed the advice laid out in the article below. Doing so will help you to reach, engage, and retain the perfect apprentice for your business operation.

Here are three steps you should consider taking when you decide to take on an apprentice:

Find an end-point assessment organisation early

The overall aim of the apprenticeship program is for your apprentice to showcase the fact that they are occupationally competent. To move on to the next stage of their career, your trainee must be able to prove that he/she has learned several key skills relating to your field.

In order for your apprentice to showcase this level of learning in an official capacity, they must receive certification from an end-point assessment organization. To ensure that you don’t encounter any time- or cost-effective hurdles during the final stages of your apprenticeship program, it’s advised that you align yourself with a regulated awarding company such as Innovate Awarding when you first take on your new trainee.

Finding the perfect apprentice

For your sake as well as theirs, finding the perfect apprentice is critical. Leaving no stones unturned in this instance is very much advised, as this will help you to unearth a dedicated, determined, and diligent trainee that actively wishes to move the needle in your niche sector.

Finding the perfect apprentice is not easy. In order to perform this all-important task in an effective fashion, you might want to consider attending recruitment fairs. This will allow you to converse with a number of prospective apprentices at one time, which in turn will allow you to compare your options in a highly succinct and straightforward manner.

Getting the most out of your apprentice

School and college help to lay the foundations of ongoing career development. Unfortunately, what they do not do is ready the student for the plethora of professional hurdles that they will be likely to face throughout their career. The world of work can come as a shock to teens who have only recently stepped out of full-time education, which is why some young apprentices aren’t always up to the task of optimizing their daily workflow.

Fear not, however, as there are steps that you can take to extract a productive work ethic out of your apprentice. Eight of these steps include:

Ensuring that your work environment is welcoming
Setting up a mentorship program
Being clear, concise, and coherent when setting objectives
Supervising your apprentice at all points and monitoring their progress (without disrupting their workflow)
Communicating your expectations to them
Providing them with an opportunity to grow and learn within your company
Positioning yourself as a role model
Never judging or berating your apprentice for not understanding certain aspects of the job