Apprenticeships are suitable for people of all ages. They offer an opportunity to learn the skills and acquire the knowledge necessary to build a rewarding career at any age.
Colleges, schools, and the government frequently run campaigns to dispel misconceptions about apprenticeships. However, there are still a significant number of candidates who have doubts about their efficacy, and so are quite hesitant when it comes to such programs.
Give apprenticeship a second chance by reading about the myths surrounding it:
Table of Contents
1: It’s Similar to an Internship
Apprenticeships and internships are different in their application. Although both offer on-the-job training, each serves a different purpose.
An apprenticeship is a training program for a role in the workplace. Usually, it is for a skilled technical job for which the apprentice must have a recognized qualification in the field. These programs are longer and may take years to complete.
Internships are for college students enrolled in an educational program. They are more generalized in their scope; as a result, formal qualifications may or may not be compulsory. The length of an internship can be anything from one week to one year or more.
2: It’s Expensive for Employers
The return on investment for registered apprenticeship programs is $1.50 for every $1 invested per program by the second year of employment. Not only it is an opportunity to fill the employment gap; it also brings productive workers into the talent pool, improving the overall productivity and profitability of a business.
3: Hiring an Apprentice Is Time-Consuming
Colleges, training providers, and recruitment agencies promote apprenticeships. Employers are advised to get in touch with one of the above to discuss the cost of an application program. From any of these sources, employers can source candidates and undertake standard hiring processes from interview to start in order to secure new talent. The process becomes even more streamlined when an employer seeks assistance from a training provider, college, or staffing agency.
4: The Program Is Only for Manual Industries
This fallacy might have been true in the past, but these days a range of industries boast apprenticeship programs, including accounting, project management, finance, digital marketing, operational management, and more. Interested candidates are likely to find apprenticeship programs in sales and marketing as well; all they need do is reach out to top sales recruiting firms.
5: The Government Crafts the Program
Apprenticeship standards have improved dramatically over the years, and evolution is still taking place. Employers might prefer to develop a course based on the education and qualification of the applicants. When an apprentice completes the requisite coursework, he or she is deemed ready for an employment offer based on the newly-acquired skill set.
6: Apprentices Don’t Add Value to a Business
A team of responsible apprentices with a positive attitude adds a lot of value to any business. They spread the workload more evenly across the organization and so boost workplace productivity. They also bring diversity to the team.
Some apprentices may also be full-time employees in another organization. With their existing expertise, they might offer new value to a business.
7: It’s For the Underperformers at School
Apprenticeships have evolved into a viable employment alternative, especially for students who are unable or unwilling to continue their higher education. It’s unfair to say that apprentices are only those individuals who earned lower grades in school. Many capable individuals choose an apprenticeship in order to enter the working world early. College graduates are also eligible to apply to apprenticeships, as long as the offer they choose matches their qualifications.
8: Apprentices Leave after Qualifying
Ninety percent of apprentices remain with the employer after the completion of their mandated coursework. Employers are not obligated to offer permanent employment afterward; they have the discretion to make an employment decision that is best for the business.
9: You Only Find Minimum Wage Jobs
Apprentices are legally eligible to receive at least the national minimum wage. However, some employers are flexible in remuneration and pay their apprentices for the time spent in the classroom along with the hours spent at work.
10: Never Leads to a Full-Time Job
On joining a program, the apprentice receives an individual employment contract, giving him or her the same rights as other employees in the organization. By the end of the program, the apprentice gains a thorough understanding of the business and is qualified to accept a full-time role within the organization. A permanent position may not be a guarantee, but the possibilities exist. Apprentices may progress their careers by going elsewhere after gaining experience and learning new skills.
Related: 11 Staffing Agency Myths You Need To Stop Believing
11: It Involves Extensive Paperwork
The paperwork for registering for an apprenticeship program is simple. Under normal circumstances, the interested candidate has to complete a digital form and submit it electronically. All the data is organized in one place.
12: The Apprentice Has No Control over the Program
An apprenticeship program is never set in stone. Workplace needs are ever-changing. However, it is likely that opportunities will arise during, and at the conclusion of, the apprenticeship.
13: Minors Can’t Apply in Trade and Manufacturing Environments
Normally, apprenticeships require candidates to be above 18 years of age. For minors, registered pre-apprenticeship programs are created in partnership with employers and educational institutions. The purpose of these programs is to implement on-job training and prepare them for career paths by teaching them the skills necessary for future employment. Registered pre-apprenticeship programs prepare students who don’t have the means to attend college/university.
14: Employers Don’t Value Apprenticeships
Employers are increasingly choosing to grow their businesses via apprenticeships. In certain cases, some employers believe that former apprentices are more employable than a new job applicants. Indeed, apprenticeships offer a stepping-stone to excel in a career.
15: I’ll Just Be Making Tea
An apprenticeship is a valuable opportunity to receive practical training and learn skills in a formal business environment. Companies offering apprenticeships adhere to strict guidelines. They keep the apprentice busy with work.
16: I Need the Experience to Get an Apprenticeship
For many, an apprenticeship provides the first opportunity to develop professional skills and gain experience. Once an apprentice starts a program, his or her experience grows quickly and dramatically increasing the opportunity for a full-time job offer.
Many employers are offering apprenticeships now, including the state government. Reach out to the best employment agencies in town and promote your apprenticeship program.
