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OVERVIEW: Productivity Tools and Strategies
The Apprentice Productivity Project identified the need for the development of a range of tools,
guides and manuals to equip business with the skills and knowledge to improve the workplace
productivity of their apprentices.
This included toolkits/strategies that support;

Recruitment, Selection and Retention

Apprentice Training and Profiling

Mentoring, Training and Supervision
Electrical Contractors can view the tools to;

Examine the potential effectiveness of the identified tools for managing apprentices
productively;

Identify assistance and support needed by them to apply the tools in workplace settings to
improve business performance and enhance productivity of apprentices

Identify Materials to support training (e.g. PowerPoint slides, participant workbooks, printed
toolkits etc.)
Toolkit 1 – Recruitment, Selection and Retention
There has been general agreement that a focus on good recruitment strategies is needed to increase
the likelihood of an apprentice completing their apprenticeship. The majority of matching is
currently done through non-specialised job search websites, word of mouth, or networks. A
recruitment tool tailored to meet the specific needs of the industry and to improve the matching up
of potential apprentices to employers will be of particular benefit to small and medium employers
that do not have the capacity to undertake extensive benchmarking of their own apprenticeship
candidates.
The purpose of the proposed ‘tool’ is to allow potential Apprentices go through a Customised OnLine Screening Processes – that is tailored to industry requirements. It will aim to identify the most
appropriate candidates for apprenticeships by assessing the skills, aptitude and attitude that is
suitable to the types of businesses that they would be going into. It will ensure the matching process
is directly linked to employer groups that understand the types of attributes that successful
apprentices possess. The On – line Screening Process will give the apprentice a clear understanding
of what their apprenticeship will entail to help manage their expectations, and ensure that they have
the ability to perform the tasks, both on the job and in training and will be focussed on an attitudinal
fit between the job role and the potential apprentice.
Toolkit 2 – Apprentice Training and Profiling
The ‘tool’ has been developed to identify Apprentice training that best suit business needs and the
needs of apprentices. It has been developed to allow employers to –

analyse work requirements;

link work activities to competency standards units;

develop work specification;

create competency profiles; and

analyse training needs.
The aim of the proposed ‘tool’ is to provide an easy to use, intuitive interface that makes the process
of modelling any work environment easy and allows a business to;

confirm apprenticeships and job structure;

develop a profile of the skills needed and the competencies needed by successful candidates;

established a clear understanding of the expectations, relevant tasks and the timing of
placements;

map the work tasks against skill-sets and competencies to determine “fits” within the
apprenticeship pathway and the workplace.
Toolkit 3 – Mentoring, Training and Supervision
A Mentoring and Supervision ‘tool’ has been developed to support:
Identifying good potential supervisors – which can be used by employers to identify any additional
skills/knowledge needed by supervisors to motivate apprentices, teach them about the work,
develop their skills, provide them with feedback and recognise their achievements,
A Guide for Supervisors and Monitoring Supervision - to help them to balance their supervisory and
other work responsibilities and to monitor them in their efforts to supervise and direct apprentices;
Supervisor Training – that could be used to enhance the coaching and mentoring role of supervisors ,
including knowing how and when to coach (and when to use other tools, like mentoring) and
providing the skills and knowledge to effectively communicate and deliver training instruction to
apprentices or groups of apprentices in the workplace. This should include providing an
understanding of training instruction and facilitating individual and work-based learning. Oversee
and monitor the quality of day-to-day work;

Communicate effectively with apprentices;

Plan and organise operational functions and solve problems.
Confirming and Managing Apprentice Progression – to get a better understanding of the evidence
requirements of the Industry Benchmarks and the need to accommodate a variety of methods to
capture and record workplace evidence. This should support employer involvement to ensure
competencies can be applied in the workplace thereby justifying the commensurate pay increase.