Everyone knows the benefits of landing an apprenticeship position. But what are the benefits for your company hiring apprentices in the engineering field? Read these five reasons why hiring apprentices can be the step up your engineering company needs to bridge the skills gap.

The War for Talent

The rapid pace at which technology has advanced over the past five to 10 years alone has left many companies struggling to hire the right people for the right job. Recruiting is super competitive, and the rock-star talent you need to grow your business is being chased by your competitors. Many qualified job applicants receive multiple offers. As colleges and technical schools often struggle to update their programs to meet the needs of employers in this industry, the skills gap is a very real and pressing problem that needs to be addressed. Hiring apprentices and training the future leaders of your company is an obvious opportunity.

Hiring for Potential

An apprenticeship program is an investment in your future. By recruiting individuals before they have the formal training they need to succeed, you directly shape the workforce of the future. The truth is work experience matters, to candidates and to their employers. But the only way those future engineers are going to have the experience they need is if they work to get it. Apprenticeship programs are a nice combination of on-the-job experience with academic study that can provide them with the real-world perspective on the work they will do in the future.

Building Relationships

Apprenticeships offer the important opportunity to build relationships between generations and encourage mentorship as well. The value of mentoring to an apprentice is limitless, and it provides important leadership opportunities for mentors as well. Sharing that passion and experience helps boost morale and inspire teams to stay engaged in their work and achieve more every day. You just might be surprised what a little youthful energy can do to revitalize an aging workforce.

Performance Management

Apprenticeship programs offer a unique level of insight and control over workforce performance. By investing in the training and development of your team early, you retain a deep level of understanding of product quality, performance, and the talent pipeline itself. Sometimes, companies get so focused on hiring rock stars they forget the importance of proper training and communication. Apprenticeship programs provide the framework to clearly define expectations of a position and ensure employees have the resources they need to meet those expectations.

Employee Retention

In recent studies, many workers express frustration at the overall lack of talent development and career growth they experienced in the jobs they left. Apprenticeship programs, by their very nature, show employees how fully invested in their long-term success you are as a company. The opportunities to provide apprentices with the guidance, career development and feedback they need to thrive is something these training programs provide naturally, thus building employee loyalty and boosting worker morale.

For more tips on how your company can benefit from an apprenticeship program, contact the talent experts at Verum Technical today.