Providing Opportunities For Young People In The Workplace

Fresh on the back of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, it is important that businesses in the local area are doing their bit to create exciting opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. Not only is this a great way to give back to your community, but it is also a fantastic opportunity for you to boost the profile of your organisation. That is why you should seriously consider setting up your own programme in the year ahead. If you are wondering where to start, you should pay close attention to the following four tips.

Work on your management skills

If you are going to make a success of your apprenticeship programme, you will need to work on your management skills. This will help you to guide your successful applicants in the right direction. Instead of leaving them to their own devices when they visit your company, it is important that you guide them through the process. You will also need to improve your Influencing Skills if you are going to get your workforce on board, secure funding for your project, and establish connections with local institutions.

Collaborate with your existing workforce

The next step is to collaborate with your existing workforce. Getting your team on the side is a brilliant way for you to ensure your apprentices are welcomed into your organisation. You don’t want to run the risk of anyone dumping extra work on your apprentices or asking them to carry out inappropriate jobs such as filing, photocopying, or coffee runs. During their time at your company, your apprentices should be treated with the same kind of respect that is shown to all of your employees. That is why you should hold regular team meetings to outline your programme and the expectations that you have for your staff.  

Reach out to young people

In order to secure the best applicants for your programme, you will need to reach out to a large number of young people. This should give you more individuals to choose from, as opposed to making do with a limited selection. Why not volunteer to speak at your local schools, colleges, youth clubs, and community centres? You should also endeavour to get your business on social media, as this is a sure-fire way to connect with today’s youth. Not only this, but your social media presence will be of use once your programme has come to an end. Instead of allowing your good work to fly under the radar, you can share your success stories on an online platform.

Ask for plenty of feedback

Last but not least, you should ask for plenty of feedback from your lucky apprentices. Every year that you run your programme, you should do so with the aim of bettering your previous efforts. This will only be achievable if you identify clear areas for improvement. Just make sure that your feedback forms are as anonymous as possible. Otherwise, you are unlikely to receive the kind of feedback your business needs to thrive.