Recruiting apprentices can be a great way to feed your talent pipeline. It allows you to assess not only your prospect’s talent, but also how they would fit within your organisational structure. You’ll also be able to tell if they would be a good fit with your company’s culture. Apprentice recruitment can turn to disaster in some rare cases, however, and hold your company back more than it can help. Let’s take a look at some of the do’s and don’ts when recruiting apprentices.
Do – Make Job Descriptions as Detailed as Possible
The job description will be the most important part when searching for the right candidate. You want them to know exactly what will be expected of them, and avoid wasting time with unqualified people. You also don’t want apprentices quitting because they’re way over their heads with what you’re asking.
Don’t – Go into the Process Uninformed
You want to be well informed about the apprentice recruitment process before you even start. For instance, you want to find out about different programs that could benefit you or different government schemes and funding opportunities.
If you want to learn more about these, we strongly suggest you check out the site employinganapprentice.com. This a great resource for both employees looking for apprenticeships and employers looking for apprentices. They have a section specifically on funding with information on various grants and government programs that will cover the cost of hiring apprentices. They can also connect you with local assistance if you need help specific to your own jurisdiction. By informing yourself through websites like this, you’ll be able to ensure that you follow the right steps.
Do – Go with a Specialised Training Provider
You want to go with a training provider that will be able to refer to apprentices that are relevant to your business. You can find apprenticeships for everything from auto repair to cybersecurity. Not all companies will be able to refer you to top talent in every sector, so you have to know in what area they specialise if you don’t want to end up wasting your time.
Don’t – Put too Much Emphasis on Qualifications and Experience
Yes, you are supposed to treat your apprentice just like any employee, but they’re not. Remember that they’re here to get experience first and foremost, and you will need to accept that they might not have much to show besides what they did at school. So, try to focus on personal qualities and potential before putting too much weight on their experience.
Do – Work with Passionate Apprentices
Speaking of personal qualities, one of the most important things you should look for is passion. You also want someone eager to learn. They might not have been top of the class, but you’d rather have someone dedicated and loyal than someone who thinks they know it all who might end up either leaving or alienating themselves from others.
Hiring apprentices can be a real asset to any organisation. However, it has to be done with the right vision in mind and realistic expectations.