How can managers best support apprentices?

Apprenticeships are an incredible way to upskill your workforce and nurture the talent from within your organisation. The support and guidance of a manager is also crucial for learner outcomes.  In this blog, we speak to Hannah Kowszun, Skills Coach from The JGA Group, to explore what effective support from managers really looks like.

In your experience, what qualities make a manager stand out when supporting an apprentice’s learning and development?
Hands down, it’s being present! The line managers who make the time to attend skills coaching sessions, even if only for the first 15 minutes, are demonstrating that they’re committed to not only the programme but also seeing the learner succeed.

Another quality is openness and proactivity. A common challenge for learners is getting practical experience across all of the KSBs (Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours) for their apprenticeship. A line manager who is willing to find a way to give them all the opportunities they need is key.

How can managers balance day-to-day work demands with giving apprentices the support they need to grow?
The main thing is to work out what you actually need to do, and make time for these responsibilities. Whether that’s blocking out time in your diary, or making sure it’s on your to do list that week. 

There aren’t a lot of time demands. At JGA, we provide monthly skills coaching for an hour and 12 weekly progress reviews, which represent about 90 minutes per month. We also encourage regular catch-ups between line managers and learners, which focus entirely on apprenticeship work.

Making time for the apprentice’s tasks and duties is very important, as they are expected to be able to spend a certain number of hours a week on what is called “Off the Job” learning. A good line manager is able to facilitate and encourage this protection of learners’ time.

How can managers help apprentices apply what they’re learning during their apprenticeship to their real-world work responsibilities?
There isn’t really a difference between real world work and an apprenticeship. The seminars that learners attend are where they develop the knowledge components that underpin the application of skills. It is this application of knowledge that is where the “real-world” comes in.

Similarly, for skills, learners are set assignments and projects that expressly require the use of certain skills. Most of the time, these assignments and projects are intended to be for the ‘real-world’: often a proposal or hypothetical scenario that the organisation could consider taking forward, or even a piece of work your team never seems to have the time to do.

The behaviours component of the apprenticeship is entirely ‘real-world’. Line managers are in a strong position to encourage their learner to practice certain behaviours, or to feed back on their behaviour as demonstrated in the workplace, to consider ways of adapting and building confidence. 

So the way that managers can best support learners is to really understand the KSBs that they’re working on and build it into their day to day work.

How can managers create a learning environment that encourages confidence and independence in apprentices?
Learners are most likely to build confidence if they feel like they are genuinely progressing, improving and being taken seriously. One of the most important aspects of an apprenticeship is evidence – this is tangible, objective evidence of their knowledge, successful use of skills and demonstration of behaviours.

Most of these will be best evidenced through what they do in their day job, which managers are best-placed to identify. A manager’s role is not just to provide an environment where learners can practice all of these things; it’s to celebrate when they’ve achieved them! Independence should naturally arise with competence; however, putting trust in learners that they will do something well can also contribute to their building independence.

What are some examples of how managers can support apprentices in managing their time between on-the-job tasks and off-the-job training requirements?
Some learners will set aside one day a week to focus on apprenticeship activity, while others will spread it out during the week. Certain off-the-job training activities are very clearly defined, such as attending seminars. Time spent on assignments and projects can also be more easily defined and set aside. Ideally, these are genuinely applicable to an apprentices’ day job, which means it is still relevant to on-the-job responsibilities.

Depending on the nature of the apprenticeship, other off-the-job activities can be more or less easily defined: the difference between spending a full day shadowing a colleague and spending a full day reading blog posts and industry reports. The best way a manager can support learners is to really understand the KSBs that underpin the apprenticeship: to suggest sources of knowledge, or opportunities to practice certain skills and behaviours.

What kinds of check-ins or one-to-ones tend to be most effective in tracking an apprentice’s progress and wellbeing?
Getting to know your learner as a person is key to this. Some learners will be very communicative, others may not be naturally communicative; you may need to recognise what they’re not saying rather than rely entirely on conversation to understand their needs.

I find that the thing learners will find hardest is knowing what to prioritise: work or their apprenticeship. My assertion is always that the job comes first, but that their employer has promised to protect time for their learning. Even if it’s a busy period for work, it’s crucial that as their manager, you give them explicit permission to spend time on their learning and development. It’s also important to remember that there may be challenges that aren’t to do with work or the apprenticeship. 

How can managers help apprentices plan for their future beyond the apprenticeship, such as career progression or further development?Certain apprenticeships have a promise of a payroll position in the organisation after the assessment period ends. Others do not. Managers should be clear and upfront with the learner about this from the beginning. Some apprenticeship standards have long assessment periods, others have shorter ones. If you are not able to promise a position, then give the learner permission to start applying for jobs when it seems most appropriate in light of their assessment period length.

Another way of supporting learners is to encourage them to network both internally and externally. Encourage them to broaden their awareness of the different types of jobs and careers they could aim for in future. It’s also ok for a learner to decide they don’t want to have a long-term career in their apprenticeship area, especially for the earlier levels. An apprenticeship should help them learn not just about their potential profession, but themselves!

What’s one thing you wish every manager knew about managing an apprentice?
Learning is a two-way street, and there is a lot you will learn as well during their apprenticeship. With support and guidance, you will enable your apprentice to unlock their full potential and succeed.