How to retain good apprentices

A perennial conundrum of the building industry is how to hold on to good apprentices once they’ve completed their training to get the best return on your investment

A common story with apprentices is that once they are fully trained and have become worthwhile to their trainers, they leave and join a competitor or set up their own business. This is particularly true when builders are in high demand, as they are now.

Why take on an apprentice?

When there is an abundance of work, taking time out to demonstrate and explain can be a distraction.

However, most builders I’ve spoken to would agree that good apprentices, with the right attitude, are invaluable. In fact, without them, building costs would likely increase.

They provide low-cost labour for many straightforward tasks as they learn the basics and, when they become qualified and stay with the company, they are already familiar with the company’s processes and culture. They also know how the company does business and what standards of customer satisfaction are expected, which can be a huge advantage if they stay on.

Another aspect to remember is that today’s apprentices are tomorrow’s builders. The future of the industry is reliant on experienced builders and tradespeople taking the time out to properly train apprentices.

How do you go about keeping good apprentices?

1. Plan to grow your team 

If you don’t grow your team, you can’t add good apprentices. Great teams don’t just happen, they come about as a result of careful and consistent work by business owners who focus on training people and creating the kind of environment that allows their team to deliver a service that customers want to buy.

Over time, as builders deliver those services consistently well, demand increases and the company grows. Careful business owners learn how to handle the issues that come with growth and manage it carefully and securely.

It makes sense to start learning the skills needed to grow your business at the same time as you take on your first apprentice(s). The thing is, if you are not confident in growing your business, then you will only be able to add very few staff before you reach your maximum.

You can keep taking on new apprentices, but if there is no room to move up after you train them, they will most likely leave you.

If you’re a good builder who teaches your apprentice well, then you are contributing good people to the industry. However, it’s a shame to let someone else reap the return on your investment due to a lack of growth in your own company.

Growing a building business is not rocket science. There are pitfalls to be aware of, but there are many resources you can draw on to help you avoid these. If you approach it with a long-term plan and proven strategies, you can do well.

2. Offer them a future

Most apprentices worth their salt will want to know what opportunities exist within the company once they become qualified. Consider the following questions from their point of view:

• Will they get a variety of work experience?
• Is architectural work on the horizon?
• Is promotion to site supervisor possible?
• Could a project management role open up down the track?
• Are there opportunities to learn about pricing and selling?

Take the time to listen to their ambitions. That way, if they want to stay with the company, you will have time to consider how you can help them fulfill those ambitions.

3. Help them get qualified

Some apprentices are good at bookwork, others are not. Although they may be competent, unqualified staff can’t take legal responsibility for their work, which means someone else must.

The best staff members (in my opinion) are those who not only take responsibility for their actions, but are motivated to learn and progress.

A young apprentice may be distracted by his/her new freedoms, and knuckling down and getting qualified may seem a drudge, but setting the pattern of steady (even fast) learning and development is good for the apprentice and the company’s culture.

Helping your apprentices to set and achieve learning goals has got to be good for everyone.

Independent of immediate economic considerations, training and developing apprentices, then incorporating them into your team, is a key strategy when it comes to growing a successful building business.

Graeme Owen, based in Auckland, is a builders’ business coach. Since 2006, he has helped builders throughout New Zealand get off the tools, make decent money, and free up time for family, fishing, and enjoying sports. www.thesuccessfulbuilder.com