Gordon Franks Training | Guidance On Setting Goals For Your Apprentice
Employing an apprentice is a fantastic investment for your business, and taking on new talent at an early stage in their career can require a lot of patience, attention and support from yourself as an employer. To aid your apprentices development, it is a good idea to provide them with 1 on 1 support and guidance to keep them motivated and eager to achieve great things within their role. Although their Assessor or Development Coach will be by their side throughout their Apprenticeship journey, it is also key for the employer to be involved in setting goals for an apprentice. This shows the apprentice that you have a genuine interest in their success with your company, whilst also making them feel like a valued member of the team. Below, we have shared our advice on how you can set achievable goals for your apprentice which encourages them to achieve more within your business.
Firstly, we would recommend setting short term and long term goals for your apprentice. This aims to give them things to work on in the present, whilst also embedding ambition for what they could achieve in the future. Having goals to work towards in the short term will also ensure they’re satisfied with the progress they’re making, and help them to continue enjoying the journey they are on.
All goals that you set should meet the SMART Goal criteria, which means they should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-based.
Short-term goals should be more task based, and should focus on building the confidence of your apprentice within their role. Ideally, you could base these short-term goals on the core skills that their role requires them to have. Within the first few months of their apprenticeship, you could set goals around the basics of the workplace, this could include goals based on punctuality, confidence, or interpersonal skills.
Short-term goals could include:
- Have the confidence to perform a set task to a high standard on a consistent basis
- By X (time), be confident enough to contribute within a discussion or meeting
- Show X (Level) of punctuality at work, ensuring you are on time and ready to work.
- Implement X (Skills) within their role to support their personal development (E.g. Organisation, Leadership or Communication)
Long-term goals should focus on their career, learning and level of responsibility. Ideally, long term goals should support your apprentice with creating a vision for what they want to get out of their apprenticeship in the long run. These goals could be specific to the qualification they’re looking to achieve, and the next steps within the experience they need to secure a role in the future. These goals should be reviewed every quarter, and will be dependent on the short-term progress they’re making. It’s important to reassure your apprentice that the goals they are setting will be achievable with your support as an employer.
Long-term goals could include:
- Achieve X (Qualification) at X (Level/Grade) by X (Time)
- Complete X (Duration) of experience within a specific role or level at your company ready to progress onto a higher role at X (Time)
- Be competent at performing X (Level) of responsibility at a consistent X (Time)
- Complete X (Training) by X (Time)
With the right support and guidance, apprentices are known to be fantastic assets to teams, especially when they have been encouraged to share the goals they would like to achieve. If you require any advice with setting goals or supporting your apprentice throughout their journey, please speak to your apprentices dedicated Assessor / Development Coach. Alternatively, you can contact our team on 0121 333 3001.