How to find the right apprentice for your business

In her latest article, Samarah Dawson, Business Development Manager at specialist furniture and interiors apprenticeship training provider, WEBS Training, looks at how to bring in a new apprentice into your business.

You’ve done the sums, you’re ready to commit – now you just need that perfect apprentice to join your business…

This segment I’ll be looking at how to recruit a new apprentice into your business.

First off – an apprentice can be any age. Not just school leavers, apprenticeships are also for those wanted to change careers and gain new skills.

That being said, incentives are aimed at taking on younger apprentices, with apprenticeships being fully funded for those under 25, and bonuses for employers taking on a new apprentice in this age bracket also.

However, that’s not to say older apprentices shouldn’t be considered. Career changers will have experience of a working environment, and will have had more time to choose what they would like to do.

There is still longevity in an older apprentice too – if someone starts an apprenticeship at 30, they will still have a thirty-year career ahead of them.

Advertising and interviewing

Make sure your job description is easy to understand – apprentice candidates may not know industry words for things, so you might need to explain things in full, so they know what they are applying for.

Check location and transport plans – apprentices may not have access to a car, so check how they plan to get to work – relying on Dad’s Taxi is usually a bad sign, and chances are an apprentice won’t complete their course if they’re sat on a bus for two hours a day for apprenticeship wage!

Read between the lines – it’s great that Level 2 apprenticeships don’t require any experience, however it means that there is less to assess the candidate on during the interview.

Look for examples of teamwork, commitment, and a genuine interest. Remember that if you’re advertising a practical role, the candidates it will attract will be practical people – their written communication might not be the strongest.

See if there is support – your training provider may offer a recruitment support service. At WEBS, we offer a full service of vacancy advertisement, CV screening, and initial interviews to help save employers hours of time – crucial for small businesses.

Trial shifts

Trial shifts are important – both for you and your apprentice.

Set an early trial shift – to give the candidate a realistic example of what getting up and travelling to work will be like

See how the candidate interacts with the machinery and environment – candidates may be nervous around machinery and overly hesitant, or not enjoy the workspace – such as the noise.

Consider a trial employment period before the candidate is signed up onto the apprenticeship – this way you can see if the candidate can have consistent timekeeping and attendance before you commit to putting them through an apprenticeship.

Other considerations

Be mindful of school-leavers and workplace transition – if you have a school-leaver they may have never seen a workshop or commercial facilities before.

There is also a chance that they have never completed manual labour, or stood for extended periods of time – especially as school is a shorter day, and many hobbies are now online.

This may mean a period of employer patience where the candidate will need to adjust and build strength – and also get used to a longer working week!

The perfect person may already be in your business!

If you have someone, such as a labourer, in your business that has shown an interest in developing skills then this person can be placed onto an apprenticeship.

You already know their attitude, timekeeping and attendance, and how they fit with the rest of your team. It also shows that as an employer you provide opportunities for training and progression.

Good luck in the search for your apprentice!

If you’d like to take on a timber trades apprentices and make the most of WEBS Training’s recruitment support, email: info@webstraining.com or visit: https://webstraining.com/