When hiring an apprentice into a newly created role, it’s essential to make sure you’re choosing the correct individual for the journey through your apprentice selection process.
As a leading apprenticeship training provider, this guide from Damar Training has all the information you need when it comes to the apprentice recruitment.
Things for employers to consider
There are two ways that employers can use apprenticeships as an opportunity:
- Hiring a new apprentice
- Upskilling an existing member of your staff
Here at Damar Training, we’re here to help with whichever option you choose.
When it comes to hiring someone new, we can support across all stages of recruitment, covering everything from screening and shortlisting candidates through to supporting final selection.
The apprentice selection process
Step 1: Initial screening
We’ll confirm the candidate’s eligibility for the role and for funding, as well as ensuring that they are aware of the responsibilities and career pathway of the apprenticeship standard and the position they are applying for.
Step 2: Shortlisting
We’ll provide a shortlist of suitable candidates for your review. We can also support the logistics of organising interviews or assessment days.
Step 3: The interview
During the interview process, you can take the apprentice through your usual hiring questions or review our suggested interview questions to ask an apprentice to ensure they are a great fit for your apprenticeship position and organisation.
Step 4: Onboarding
Once you’ve chosen the right candidate for you, the onboarding process can start! You can concentrate on welcoming your new team member, while we reduce your workload and support you through the next steps, including creating the apprenticeship agreement and training plan, which outlines the off-the-job hours and training involved.
Top tips for attracting the right apprentice
- Accurate information: It sounds simple, but we always recommend ensuring the job description is as accurate as possible for full transparency to ensure no time is wasted – consider including working hours, location, benefits and company values
- In-person interviews: Use these to explore your candidate’s potential, ambitions and motivation rather than focusing on what experience they have
- Work with your training provider: We can help with shortlisting, accessing different job boards and the outreach process, where appropriate.
If this is an area you’d like to explore in more detail, read our guide on how to recruit the right apprentice.
Why the apprentice selection process is important
A haphazard approach to the hiring process can cost your organisation a lot of wasted time and money. Here’s why a careful and well-crafted process is crucial:
- It reduces the risk of wasted funding, candidate drop-out and loss of productivity
- It sets out clear expectations for both you and your apprentice
- Working with a reputable provider that provides a free recruitment service, you can save time and money on the hiring process
- Better prepared candidates equals better interviews! And, better interviews lead to higher potential for positive outcomes.
What happens at the end of the process
In many ways, this is just the beginning of an exciting long-term partnership.
Here at Damar, our expert support team is here every step of the way. We stay closely aligned with you and your apprentice to track progress, celebrate milestones, and make sure that training and responsibilities remain relevant to the apprentice’s everyday role.
Support from Damar Training
As well as all of the above, there are other parts of the process that we can offer support on, including:
- Listing job vacancies on our website and on appropriate job listing sites e.g. getmyfirstjob
- Input on job adverts if requested
- Supporting applicants when it comes to CV and interview tips.
Build your future workforce today. Get in touch to discuss hiring an apprentice.