Top ten tips for apprentices

Are you thinking of starting an apprenticeship or are you already employed as one?  Then these handy tips are for you!

Angus Fraser, Glendale’s apprentice and training champion shares his wisdom with ten top tips to keep in mind when you embark on your apprenticeship journey:

Find out as much about the apprenticeship you are thinking of doing first

Do your research into the apprenticeship that you’re thinking of doing and be convinced you are going to enjoy the job.  Nobody wants to work in a career that they don’t enjoy, take some time to ensure that you will enjoy it.

Get to know the people you are working with

Learning people’s names and what they do will help you in the future and will make you feel like part of the team.

Remember, you are an employee just like everyone else

Just because you’re an apprentice doesn’t mean that you’re different.  You’re still a member of the team, it’s just that you’re starting to learn your trade.

Observe senior staff

Watch how the senior members of staff work, speak to each other and interact with clients.  You can learn a lot by watching and listening to what goes on.

Don’t be afraid to ask

If you are struggling with something, be it a work task or a college task, just remember points two, three and four.  You know the people who you can go to in order to ask for advice or guidance.

Be enthusiastic about the tasks that you have been set

You’re just starting out on your career and you need to understand all areas of the role – even those that might not interest you as much as others!  A positive approach to every task will get you noticed and remembered.

Organise your time

As well as your work commitments, you will have to attend college and complete assignments on time.  Make sure you organise your time appropriately so that you can complete all the work that’s required.

Don’t get intimidated or overwhelmed by the abilities of your colleagues

Remember, you’re just starting out and you’re not expected to know how to do everything.  You’re certainly not expected to know as much as those who’ve been doing it for 5, 10 or 20 years.

Don’t slip into bad habits

Don’t allow yourself to get into bad habits.  They will get noticed and won’t help you to progress in the future.

Last but not least – alarms!

Make sure you set enough alarms to get to work and college on time!