With National Apprenticeship Week coming up on the 8th of February we thought it would be great to share some of our top tips for nurturing and developing an apprentice under your management, while also ensuring you make the most out of their impact on the business.
Be welcoming
Starting a new position, even as an experienced adult, can be nerve-wracking. This is especially the case for any young apprentice who has just finished school. Therefore, it's extremely helpful to be particularly considerate and friendly. This could mean having time set aside for them to meet their colleagues, spending time with them throughout the day so they can easily approach you with questions, being clear about their role and how the work environment operates and even making an announcement on social media or in your company newsletter about their employment. This can really help to show how excited you are to take them on as an apprentice.
Assign them a reliable mentor
Obviously, with any new employee, there is at least some mentoring so that they can properly start their new position. But with an apprentice, they are eager to learn and develop themselves. Therefore it can be constructed to provide them with a designated mentor who will enable the apprentice to reach their potential. A good mentor will help the apprentice grow and achieve their goals. It will also allow the apprentice to feel more comfortable in their new role when they have someone they know well there to advise them.
Set them objectives and give feedback
As with any new employee objectives, goals and targets must be clearly set out so they understand their role and responsibility in the business. This is especially the case with a new apprentice as they will likely have less work experience than most. But they usually have a great work ethic, allowing for their targets to be challenging and as they improve their skill set their targets can be adjusted so they are constantly achieving more. As a result, their work and progress must be monitored regularly and they should receive feedback on their performance. This will help them to stay focused and motivated.
Make them feel valued
While an apprentice may be different to a typical employee they are still a valuable member of the team and so it's important they are encouraged to be an active team member. This includes them participating in meetings, asking for their insight into business matters, involving them in events and going a step further by having team building sessions or engaging activities. In essence, it's valuable to both the business and the apprentice when they feel included as a valued team member.
Set them up for success
As we've already covered having a mentor for a new apprentice can be vital for their performance and development. But what must also be considered is the example set by the whole team. As an apprentice, they're likely to be more impressionable and so it's essential employees set a great example and show a high standard of work. Doing so will set the apprentice up on a successful path where they will become an effective team member after they have finished their apprenticeship.
If you're interested in hiring your own apprentice, find out more at https://www.vqsolutions.co.uk/employers
