09 Aug 2022

Top tips for engaging apprentices

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We were recently asked by Solihull Chamber to share our top tips for engaging apprentices with fellow Chamber members during #SolihullHour!

Apprenticeships play a vital part in the work we do to bridge the gap between young people, educators, and businesses across Solihull and Birmingham.

So, let's delve into our top tips for engaging young people to apply for apprenticeships with your organisation!

  1. Do your research and make sure apprenticeships work for both parties.

Before doing anything, you should do some thorough research into apprenticeships to make sure that having an apprentice is the right choice for your business, and that you will be able to support the young person who takes up that position.

Apprenticeships enable young people to undertake paid, on-the-job training with an employer and are usually spread over two-four years.

This is a big commitment for both parties, so make sure that taking on an apprentice aligns with your business goals and that you will have the capacity to train a young person to meet the requirements of their apprenticeship.

  1. Plan ahead and engage with young people early on.

Our next tip is all about timing! If you are looking into hiring apprentices, plan ahead and engage with them early on.

By this we mean that, where possible, you should try to align your hiring of apprentices with the academic year so that young people can transition from completing their studies into an apprenticeship with your organisation.

For example, we work with employers and facilitate their engagement with young people at the beginning of the academic year whilst they are taking part in the Digital Innovators Skills Programme.

By the end of the academic year, employers will have been able to identify candidates that they are interested in hiring, and young people have had the chance to gain experience with an organisation and decide if it is the right company for them to join.

  1. Communicate the benefits of working for your organisation clearly.

So, you've done your research and you've planned ahead - but how do you actually engage with young people and make them want to apply for your apprenticeship?

An important part of this is being able to communicate why a young people should work with your organisation...

What are the benefits, perks, and development opportunities which will make them want to choose you? What can they gain by working with you that they can't get with a different organisation?

Once you have determined these reasons, make sure you communicate this in a way which is easy to understand.

There you have it! Digital Innovators' top tips for engaging apprentices.

If you would like to find out more about working with young people or think an apprenticeship is the right route for your business, the team at Digital Innovators is happy to answer any questions and help you get the process started.

Please get in touch via info@digitalinnovators.co.uk or 0121 678 7224.