With an ever-changing workplace and labour market, many are now looking introspectively at their careers (whether at the start, middle or end) and re-evaluating what they want to achieve, as well as what they may enjoy!
One area that continues to see increased demand is more employers are looking for apprentices to join their organisations, to support with company growth as well as give something back to their community via gateways into their company’s sector and vocations. However, recruiting apprentices is by no means a straightforward process and there are pointers to consider when attracting, onboarding, and retaining your apprentices for the longer term.
Read on to find out more about Webrecruit’s top tips on how to successfully hire apprentices!
Partnering with the right provider
Your first step when considering hiring apprentices should be to identify a suitable provider (or providers) for apprenticeships you wish to conduct through your business; with the advancement and promotion of apprenticeships by the government and employers, there are many to choose from.
When selecting a provider, you will want to consider various factors; firstly, you will need to identify the apprenticeships you wish to hire for and make sure they align to apprenticeship course frameworks. The good news is these are largely standardised and there will be more popular apprenticeships that are provided by a breadth of providers. Secondly, you will want to consider whether you want a remote or more local supplier – the reason for this is considering whether you feel remote support or onsite support (Covid regulations allowing) would best support your business needs, as well as that of your apprentices.
Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity for an individual to gain experience and a foothold in specific industries and/or professions. It is impossible to ignore how important this is, especially in specific sectors and vocations which are becoming increasingly competitive; so, your apprenticeship should sell itself, right?
Irrespective or any level of role you are advertising for (entry-level to senior), it is vital that you sell the opportunity itself, as well as your organisation and culture therein; this is especially vital for apprenticeships! Whilst this is not a set rule, apprenticeships can pay less than a qualified counterpart as said apprenticeships are both a learning experience and an investment by a business. With this in mind, you want to make clear in your job advertisement what an apprentice can expect on the day to day, what they will learn and what their long-term prospects could look like to! Focusing on both the now and the future will help candidates visualise what their journey could be like with your organisation, including but not exclusive to the apprenticeship.
Encouraging Diversity through Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships provide many with the opportunity to break into a profession and/or industry, and with rightful focus on diversity via employers, it is important to circle back on how you can make your entry-level positions free of any bias in the hiring process; in the long-term, this should help increase diversity and equality in all workforces in the long run.
So, how can you support your EDI efforts when hiring apprentices? This is a multi-faceted endeavour, but there are two ways you can stress the importance of this in your recruitment processes; firstly, it is important to use your job advertisements to stress your commitment to diversity within the workplace, and how this is organisationally, operationally, and culturally significant to your organisation. Secondly, your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) should play a key role in supporting your EDI efforts, via the likes of tasks such as anonymising of CVs to help reduce any bias in a hiring process.
