In times of labor shortage and competition for qualified professionals, most companies are desperate for more skilled craftspeople. Everyone knows that apprentices are the workforce of the future, but the challenge has always been to turn fresh hands into skilled workers. Masters of the craft tend to be busy, and who can afford to deal with training apprentices when there is so much to do? As it turns out, you cannot really afford not to.
– The entire industry is craving for more professional painters, and apprenticeship is the best way to ensure that the high standards of the trade are followed, says Christian Ravn, general manager at C. Møllmann & Co., a Danish painting company founded in 1879.
C. Møllmann & Co. employs more than 100 painters and takes on about 10 apprentices every year. For them the solution is sticking to a comprehensive apprenticeship program in which young adults follow an educational path alongside day-to-day training at the company.
– The apprentice’s first year is the most important. In that time we follow the apprentice closely, study their work, talk about the trade and the apprentice’s motivation. The time we spend in the first year is extremely valuable for both the apprentice and the company, Ravn says.
He says that the company is employing apprentices mainly for two reasons:
– First of all, for recruitment. If we want the most talented painters, it’s a must to follow an apprenticeship program. Secondly, the apprentices will in their first year get to know the company and the customers, which is crucial knowledge for future assignments.
In a rush? Read about 7 ways to include apprentices! >
Ravn says that about 95 percent of the apprentices are offered a full-time job at the end of the apprenticeship.
– Most of them stay on at the company for many years and progress to be a painter’s friend for new apprentices in the future.
- I have to say, we are very proud of the work that these young people are doing.
The alternative to employing apprentices has for some companies been to hire short-term labor, which has damaged the industry's reputation and hampered the quality of the work performed, says Henrik Lundberg, master painter at the Danish painting company Nielsen & Kromann.
– The problem with short-term labor is that many don’t have professional credentials. You simply don’t know what you get. That is why an apprentice program is a more sustainable solution, Lundberg says.
In a rush? Read about 7 ways to include apprentices! >
According to Marianne Twiddy, who organizes apprenticeships for nine companies in the Innlandet region in Norway, you should think of an apprentice as an investment.
– It’s almost like investing in a stock: In time the investment will pay off. Today’s apprentice is tomorrow’s master. The apprentice will learn the skills, become more productive and eventually turn into a benefit, Twiddy says.
Companies at Innlandet introduce apprentices in their work force from day one, ensuring that they have the essential information and basic qualifications to get started, securely aided by a professional mentor. Adding to this, Twiddy has also established a handbook that is used to help recruit more apprentices from painting schools.
– It’s important that companies take responsibility for their apprentices. In order to get value from apprentices, companies should monitor progress, give running feedback and assign specific roles responsible to do so, she says.
But that’s not all.
– The company’s role is to educate their apprentices and guide them through the process, with the goal of offering them a full-time position at the end of the term. But the managers of the company need to be good ambassadors for their apprentices in order to get the full value of the investment.
Ideally the apprentice comes to the company after completing a basic course in high school, she says. But apprentices who start their education at an older age, can join a company as an apprentice while they are completing high school as a private candidate.
– When the apprentice starts at the company, he or she knows the basic skills and is ready to get up to speed with the standards, Twiddy says.
– Investing in apprenticeships sends a powerful message that the company is committed to professional development and growth. That’s what talented craftspeople are looking for in an employer, Twiddy says.
Thomas Thorsøe, HR manager at Håndverksgruppen (HG), is calling it “The HG model”. The way the apprentices are prepared, trained and evaluated is unique, he says, and the long-term goal is that apprentices at all times will comprise 10,5 percent of a HG company’s workforce.
– A company part of Håndverksgruppen can always count on the support and aid when it comes to apprentices. It’s part of our ESG strategy, Thorsøe says.
Over many years he has seen companies grow as a consequence of a strong dedication to an apprenticeship program.
– Make no mistake: Apprenticeships work. It gives great value to the company. Years of experience have shown that. It’s an effective and sustainable way of recruitment.
Now he has an advice to company managers:
– Think of an apprentice as a future co-worker. If you want highly skilled professionals, invest in apprentices.