See what Gerard & Gracie say about National Apprenticeship Week!

Hi! My names Gracie, I’m the Administration & Marketing Apprentice here at Lighthouse Personnel. I have been with Lighthouse just over a year now, how time flies! My top tip for looking for an apprenticeship that suits you would be to research the business and the people working for the business. Apprenticeships are a brilliant way to learn but you have to ensure that the business and the people within the business will provide you with the support and guidance that you need throughout. Lighthouse has given me a brilliant start to my career by providing me with all of the knowledge and guidance that I need to succeed, so I’d highly recommend finding somewhere that will do the same for you!

I worked for a National Training Provider for 5 and a half years, working my way up from being a Telesales Executive to a Recruitment Manager. I have a good insight into the industry and have both placed apprentices into other businesses and managed apprentices in house.

 

I’d say for an SME it is making sure you have the necessary budget, training capability and a mentor/buddy for the apprentice to confide in. Taking on any member of staff is a commitment and an apprentice should be no different. Giving them regular 1-2-1 sessions, incentives and sufficient time for studying is crucial to an apprentice development in their early stages. Continuous review of performance is also a key factor.

An apprentice is a cost-effective way of introducing a new member of staff into the business and where possible I would recommend it unless the experience is absolutely necessary. Moulding an apprentice into the culture of your company can be an effective business decision and if they are made to feel valued the chances of retention will be higher. There are also government grants available to help cover the costs of hiring an apprentice.

Consider all of your options. I would argue Apprenticeships are now the best way into the majority of job roles due to competition and costs of higher education. Unless you really need the degree status in your industry, a lot of companies I have spoken to would see the experience as more beneficial than a degree without it.

Having spent 5 years of my career working with hundreds of budding apprentices for a Training Provider in Ipswich, Suffolk – I am an ambassador for apprenticeships. I have been witness to seeing apprenticeships transform organisations, supporting large scale growth.

 

You need to have a good support plan in place and have the time to invest in training them. If you have the right infrastructure, (even as a small business – we took on two apprentices as our third and fourth employee) and the time to put into an apprentice then they can add significant value to your business. I would also encourage having a thorough recruitment process with tailoring your interviews to their age and experience to ensure you get the right fit for your company.

Apprentices are a low-cost way to recruit & train the future talent of your business. Coming into your role with a blank canvas, you can train them to your way of thinking and they will always appreciate you being the first business to give them an opportunity. It’s great PR and it’s really rewarding personally too.

Take your time to find the right role. Once you’ve found it, put in a lot of time and effort to ensure you nail the interview process – researching the company and staff who work there. If you’re successful in the role; constantly demonstrate your keenness to succeed and have the confidence to ask questions when you are unsure of what to do next. Ask friends and family for tips and guidance on how to conduct yourself during an interview and whilst at work.

Find out more about apprenticeships here:
Find an apprenticeship - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)