Apprenticeships Can Give Your Business a Boost

Tuesday June 22, 2021

Apprenticeships (and traineeships) are central components of the vocational education and training system in Australia. They can be full time, part time or school based. School-based apprenticeships are available for secondary school students who get on-the-job training towards a formal qualification while still completing their school studies.

Benefits for an apprentice include hands-on experience as they learn a clear route to career progression, and study time which is allocated within their working week. There are many benefits for employers operating apprenticeship programmes.

Benefits of hiring apprentices in your business

Hiring an apprentice or upskilling an existing employee through an apprenticeship scheme is a great way to nurture those who are keen to learn whilst growing a skilled and qualified workforce.

A new apprentice will be motivated to learn from their peers and mentors as they work towards a qualification. This can be uplifting and purposeful for a team that has valuable knowledge to share. The motivation is encouraging as well.

When an apprentice comes from previous employment, they tend to have transferable skills that can be applied in a new way. For example, an ex-waiter who is an excellent multi-tasker or a retail assistant with natural negotiation skills.

Those coming straight from school might be highly adept with technology, bringing new efficiencies to a digital role.

In addition to these benefits, employers also can be eligible for financial assistance from the Australian Government which can be of great financial value to a business.

The current Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program (AAIP) will be replaced with a new, simplified and streamlined incentives program for employers of apprentices and trainees. The Incentives for Australian Apprenticeships (IAA) will commence 1st of October 2021.

Government subsidy is a helpful source of support for businesses looking to take on apprentices, however employers will need to invest in other ways to make their scheme a successful one.

Giving your apprentices a good start

New apprentices will be joining your company to hone their skills by learning from the best. They will be looking up to you for guidance and will need a well-structured programme to follow.

Much like any new employee joining your company, an apprentice should receive a thorough induction. This should provide them with an introduction to the business, important processes such as how to request holiday or report sickness, who they will be working with, who they report to and how they will access their training material and safety requirements.

Beyond the induction, your apprentice is going to need ongoing support from their co-workers and management. A mentor plays a crucial role in the development of an apprentice. Think about who is best suited to this role and how you can support them.

An inspiring route to success

If further proof were needed that well trained apprentices can go on to achieve great success, consider that inspirational figures including Leonardo de Vinci, Alexander McQueen and John Frieda all started out with a humble apprenticeship.

If you are thinking about mentoring an apprentice and want to make sure you give them the best possible start in your industry, give us a call.

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