Ladder for Shropshire: Employer workshops to help get the best from apprentices

Shrewsbury Colleges Group has teamed up with Niamh Kelly, director of The HR Dept Shropshire, to offer tailored employer workshops to businesses in the region.

Lasting two hours, Niamh covers all the practical tools employers need to manage performance proactively, putting them in a much better position to get the most out of strong apprentices as well as how to deal with the poor ones.

Ninety per cent of apprenticeships in Shropshire are provided by small employers, many of whom have little experience of employing people, in particular young people.

Traditionally apprentices are young people, many of whom have only recently left school. Leaving a familiar classroom and being thrown into a working environment can be a huge shock, the Ladder for Shropshire said.

Despite employers wanting to get the best out of their apprentice and support them in their new career, the Ladder said sometimes things can go a bit awry. Common problems include them not getting off their mobiles, not listening and poor timekeeping.

The workshops are aimed at helping an employer know where they stand and give them advice on how best to address the issues before they become much bigger.

Amanda Carpenter, from the Ladder for Shropshire, said: “We are pleased that Shrewsbury College group and The HR Dept Shropshire is offering support to employers to make a greater success of their apprentices.

"The vast majority of young people develop through any problems and successfully complete their apprenticeships, current statistics show that more than 90 per cent who complete their apprenticeship are taken on with their employers.”

To find out more and to book a place on the next course visit https://www.scg.ac.uk/employers/employer-workshops