Supporting your apprentice

Supporting your apprentice through mentoring and coaching in the workplace and working with your learning provider to respond to any problems.

Photo by Robert Gray

Coaching

Coaching is about providing hands-on training and instruction to improve skills and knowledge. It’s likely that many different individuals will coach an apprentice during their training. Whatever area of the organisation they’re working in, the apprentice should always have access to a coach who can help them to develop and improve their skills. Coaching is a highly effective way for older, more experienced employees to pass on valuable information and skills. Read about specialist skills coaching at Plymouth Council.

Mentoring

Mentoring is about offering personal support, so the mentor doesn’t necessarily need to have the same professional skills as the apprentice. While some apprentices will apparently sail through the apprenticeship, others will need support in dealing with problems in their personal, work, study, social or domestic lives which could prevent success on the programme. Mentors will need to be alert to any harassment, bullying or other types of bad treatment. They will need to ask the apprentice very specific questions about how well they are being treated, whether they are being included and how they are getting on with colleagues, managers and tutors.

The role of mentor can be taken on by a wide range of people, from a former apprentice who’s progressed into management, to a retired head gardener. The mentor should be able to offer insights and guidance based on professional experience and personal wisdom.

Mentors need to have good empathy and people skills to be able to guide and support the apprentice. For the mentor, the role should offer professional as well as personal satisfaction. Awarding CPD points is one good way to acknowledge the additional work that the mentor has taken on.

If no-one within your department is suitable for the mentoring role, then look outside your department - or even outside your organisation - for people with the right skills.

Tips for successful mentoring

Ask for volunteers

The mentoring relationship is more likely to be a success if the mentor volunteers for the role. If you have to nominate individuals to become mentors, then it’s important to choose people who understand and value mentoring and have the right skills to fulfil the role.

Keep line management separate

Mentoring isn’t about having power over someone and telling them what to do, so ideally the apprentice shouldn’t be mentored by their line manager.

Match mentors with apprentices

The apprentice and mentor must be compatible, so spend time ensuring that each apprentice is matched with the best mentor for them. The apprentice needs to be able to relate to their mentor, so if possible they should have a say in the matching process.

Establish trust

Trust is a crucial ingredient in mentoring. If problems or issues arise, the mentor needs to be able to work with the apprentice to agree a solution. Although normal disciplinary procedures will still apply, the mentor should be allowed to use their own judgement and discretion when dealing with issues.

Offer training and support

Some mentors will need very little training to be able to fulfil the role, but all will require guidance and support throughout the process.

Set time expectations

Although the amount of time needed for mentoring will depend on the apprentice’s individual needs, it can be helpful to set boundaries on when the mentor is available and how quickly they’ll be able to respond to any questions in between mentoring sessions. Mentoring is delivered as a scheduled regular meeting in a relaxed environment, but additional meetings can also be arranged in response to an event, request or enquiry.

Be proactive

The mentor will need to take a proactive approach to working with the apprentice. If things go quiet, it helps if the mentor can subtly remind the apprentice that they’re around and interested in how things are going.

No-blame

Mentoring relationships don’t always work out in the long term. If things aren’t working, then both sides should be able to move on without assigning any blame.

Working with your learning provider

The learning provider should have processes in place for monitoring your apprentice’s progress and they should keep you informed of any problems. You will need to work closely with your learning provider and your apprentice to forestall any problems. If problems arise, then you will need to work with your learning provider and apprentice to find solutions.

Your learning provider should be able to provide suitable support for any apprentices with additional learning needs and help you to offer the right kind of assistance in the workplace.

Learning from good practice

From apprentice to mentor

Apprentices working in Oldham’s parks are mentored by the technical officer in the horticultural services team, who started out as an apprentice himself.