When it comes to finding new workers, there’s always an element of the unknown – especially when it comes to hiring an apprentice who are usually young people with little work experience. Hiring a good apprentice can feel challenging – especially if you’ve never hired one before or have had bad experiences in the past.

If you’re looking to hire your next apprentice, we’ve put together some tips on how to find yourself a good one and foster the relationship.

Communicate your expectations

Right from the get-go, it’s important to communicate with your potential new staff member what your expectations of them are, as well as what duties you’d like them to carry out. Failing to communicate expectations can hamper your attempts to find the right candidate, with apprentices potentially put off by the lack of information about the position they are applying for. Without the right expectations communicated both in the interview and the initial job description, you may hire someone who isn’t able to do what you’re wanting them to do, which isn’t fair on either of you.

Explore potential weaknesses within an interview

A common interview question is to ask what a candidate’s weaknesses are and discuss them positively. If you’re getting good vibes from someone, asking them what areas they think they can improve on will help you to identify any potential problems that might arise. It will also give you an insight into whether that person is willing to learn, which is a great trait to have.

Remember the role you’re hiring for

When interviewing a potential apprentice, it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t a high-level job, so expecting them to know things your other employees do is unreasonable. On the other hand, if the candidate seems to have gaps in their knowledge or doesn’t seem as though they’ve read the position description through, it may be a sign of a red flag.

Catch up with them regularly

After hiring an apprentice, the work can’t stop there. Frequent catch-ups will help ensure they’re finding their feet and on the right track to meet your expectations. These catch-ups don’t need to be anything too long, but they will help give you an idea of where your apprentice is at, and what they may need assistance with. Daily meetings will help them to understand what they need to achieve and hit for that day/week. Whereas monthly meetings are great for catch-ups and reviews. These meetings also provide clarity around your expectations and allow them to flag any feedback or concerns they might have.

Find them a buddy

Sometimes, an apprenticeship might be someone’s first job, so it’s important to provide support as they adjust to their role. If you can’t be with them much, consider assigning them with a ‘buddy’ or mentor who can guide them through each day and teach them the ropes. This buddy can be someone the apprentice can go to throughout the day with any questions they might have. Pairing the apprentice with a buddy will improve their confidence and feel like they are part of the team.

Encourage them to discuss their own ideas

Just because someone is new, doesn’t mean they can’t bring great ideas to the table! In your regular catch-ups, encourage them to bring their own ideas to the table. Apprenticeships are great for bringing young and fresh minds, as they will see things differently to others. You don’t have to implement any ideas you don’t want but listening to them will help them feel as though they are respected and valued in the workplace. Who knows they might think of something you never thought about before!

Have a structured training plan

Before hiring a new apprentice, it’s important to have a structured training plan about how the apprenticeship is going to work. Hiring an apprentice and then just ‘winging it’ is a recipe for disaster. Having a plan on what you’d like to teach them, timeframes, goals, and objectives will create little room for miscommunication – meaning there’s less room for error.

Provide encouragement for a job well done

Many of us are quick to provide constructive criticism, but all too often we forget that praise for things done correctly is equally as important. For someone new to the job, they may have concerns as to whether they’re doing things right but are too scared to speak up. By letting them know when they are completing tasks to a high standard, they will continue to do so and even do better. A compliment can boost their confidence as well as let them know they’re doing what you’re expecting of them.

Make sure rules and safety procedures are well communicated

Safety should always be the number one priority on any worksite, and it is something that shouldn’t be skimmed over when you onboard someone new. Remember – this is the first job for a lot of apprentices, so things you think are obvious might not be so obvious to someone else. Communicating other rules and expectations from the start is also important. For example, if you don’t like phones on site, let them know from the start to avoid any confusion or conflict down the track.

Set a goal for them to aim towards

Whether it’s big or small, having a goal to work towards gives people motivation that they are contributing to a bigger picture. By setting a variety of short and long term targets your recruit can be monitored along the way, allowing you to tweak workloads/training, etc. This will also help you to ensure they’re staying on track.

Hiring an apprentice is an exciting time for growing businesses. When it comes to adding someone new to the team, it’s important to set your expectations from the beginning, as it’s likely this is someone’s first job. Find someone who will complement your team - both skill and personality-wise – and implement a structured training plan, set with goals and objectives, to make the most out of it.

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