Apprenticeship programs continuously prove to be a lucrative investment for employers across industries. With a growing network of over 150,000 eager employers in more than 1,000 different occupations, Apprenticeships are turning the next generation of workers into a productive and highly skilled workforce. [1]
Unfortunately, recruiting the right apprentices can be a challenging and cumbersome process, and the daunting task of tracking and storing essential apprentice data can leave some Apprenticeship program managers feeling overwhelmed.
ApprentiScope streamlines the recruitment process for Registered Apprenticeships and is the only tracking software of its kind that can also comply with federal grant requirements. Let’s break down some key challenges apprenticeship managers face and how ApprentiScope can help.
Common Challenges with Apprentice Recruitment
Getting your Registered Apprenticeship program off the ground and running can present difficulties, especially when it comes to the recruitment process. Depending on the size of your program, the number of apprentices you need, your business’s industry, and whether federal grant money is being used for the program, each program manager may face their own set of unique challenges. Some common pitfalls we see include:
- Limited awareness: Many potential apprentices may not be aware of the opportunities in their area. There can be confusion regarding who qualifies to be an apprentice, what training or certifications may be needed, and if apprentices can expect payment. Sponsors should invest in marketing and outreach efforts to spread awareness about their program.
- Perception of apprenticeships: Since working as an apprentice isn’t always seen as a traditional path toward a career, many people have misconceptions about Apprenticeship programs. An especially common misconception is that Apprenticeships are less valuable than a typical four-year degree program. It’s important for Sponsors to highlight the value of Apprenticeships and emphasize the potential career paths available to successful apprentices.
- Competition for talent: There will likely be competition from other Apprenticeship programs, educational initiatives, and training programs for top-talent apprentices. Sponsors should try to offer competitive wages, benefits, and advanced training opportunities.
- Finding the right fit: Contrastingly, if you’ve developed a great and alluring program, you may be faced with an overwhelming number of applicants. It can be challenging to recruit good-fit apprentices that have the necessary skills needed to succeed. Sifting through hundreds of applications manually can be time-consuming and may result in a poor-choice hire.
- Diversity and inclusion: It’s imperative that sponsors create a program that is accessible and inclusive to individuals of all backgrounds and communities. You may need to find new ways of promoting your program and sharing Apprenticeship openings to ensure you are recruiting a diverse candidate pool.
- Tracking participant data: Data collection is a cumbersome but necessary part of running a successful apprenticeship program. However, ensuring you have properly stored and collected all the required data needed to meet compliance standards can be lengthy and challenging, especially if you’ve received a federal grant.
Utilizing an integrated applicant tracking tool can completely streamline the recruitment and data collection process, so sponsors can focus on connecting with great-fit candidates and developing an alluring program.
How ApprentiScope Streamlines Apprentice Recruitment
ApprentiScope is designed to make the lives of Apprenticeship Program Sponsors easier. It’s fully-integrated Apprenticeship Management System simplifies every step of managing applicants and apprentices, storing all the essential information in one easy-to-use system.
Quickly create a new job through ApprentiScope including all the essential details of the position. Copy the link and share it anywhere, from your company’s LinkedIn page to an email newsletter blast. Any applicant can follow this link to learn about the opening and begin their application process. The first step will require applicants to create an account, which will collect all the necessary baseline information about an applicant such as their name, email address and phone number, date of birth, and social security number.
By frontloading this data collection, managers will save time once they have selected the applicants they want to move forward with. By clicking one button, managers can generate an apprentice agreement for any specific applicant and all the applicant’s preliminary data will auto-populate into the form.
Other tracking systems only collect basic data and typically aren’t able to capture the amount of data needed to meet compliance requirements. This problem is exacerbated if you’ve received federal workforce grant funding since these organizations typically are required to report on participants even if they are not officially accepted into an Apprenticeship program. That’s why ApprentiScope is built specifically for Registered Apprenticeship and federal grant compliance purposes, including the ability to capture workforce grant data (WIPS) on intake.
Through ApprentiScope, sponsors can create an Applicant Checklist for applicants to reference. This required part of the application process makes it easy for both the applicant and the manager to track progress and see what’s missing.
Beyond the initial intake, sponsors can continuously manage their group of applicants and see a list of individuals who have applied, submit certain applicants for review, or accept, reject, or qualify applicants, all in one convenient tab. Managers can take a more in-depth look at individual applicants by selecting their profiles to access their general information, see the progress status of their checklist, review interview notes, and manage documentation like apprentice agreements, transcripts, credentials, and test scores.
Related Content: 10 Reasons to Hire an Apprentice
Takeaway
Manually tracking apprentice recruitment data can be an incredibly time-consuming process. Multi-Employer Sponsors, especially those who’ve received federal grant funding, can see huge benefits from using a fully integrated system designed to streamline data collection and recruitment workflows for their programs.
ApprentiScope takes the stress out of recruiting new apprentices so program managers can focus on marketing their programs, diversifying their candidate pool, and spreading awareness about great-fit Apprenticeship Programs. Don’t waste time manually collecting and inputting data, and don’t risk losing essential grant funding by failing to complete basic compliance requirements. Reach out today to find out how ApprentiScope can streamline your recruitment process.
[1] https://www.apprenticeship.gov/help/what-are-benefits-apprenticeships-employers#:~:text=Apprenticeship%20programs%20help%20employers%3A,and%20an%20employer%27s%20bottom%20line
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