So you have successfully landed yourself an apprenticeship! That's amazing but this is where the hard work starts. An apprenticeship is a job and there are things you will have to do to make sure you make your apprenticeship a success.
Below we have listed some tips to make sure you are armed with the information you will need to impress your employer.
Punctuation / Attendance
We have put this one first as it is probably the main feedback/concern from employers and that is people being late or having to many days off.
When considering a role you should have first thought about travel time, how you will get there and how much traffic will there be on your route, all these things will affect your ability to get to work on time.
An employer is paying you to be at work and they expect that you arrive on time everyday and work till the finish times. If you are starting a new role and you are late several times or off work a number of times within a short period of time you might not last long in that role. If you have a genuine problem or you are running late then the second you know about it your first thought should be to call in to the company and let them know what your situation is. More than anything this is just a great sign of respect.
Remember your now at work
We know it can be very tempting to want to check your social media platforms and your phones throughout the day but you are not paid to check what your friends are up to online. Employers will not tolerate you taking time away from your role to be on your phone. A top tip would be to put your phone in a draw or bag as not seeing the phone in front of you will reduce the temptation to keep looking at it.
Get to know your colleagues
Starting a new role can be a scary thought for a lot of people having to meet a lot of new people and fit in to a new team. Do not worry though, if you are working for a company that have taken you on as an apprentice then this means you have joined a team that want to invest time in you and they want you to be successful.
Try to get to know as many people in your department and the rest of the company as much as possible. The longer you work at the company, the more people you are likely to meet, but don’t be afraid to talk to people in the workplace when you’re still new. Learning people’s names and what their role is will go a long way and help you start to develop positive relationships at work.
Show a willingness to learn
This might seem like an obvious one but ask lots of questions. Show that you are keen to learn and if you are not sure about something then ask. Speak to your team mates as well as your bosses and get their help too. Your work colleagues will have been doing the job on a day to day basis and by learning from them you will build your knowledge quicker.
Also by showing a willingness to learn your employer is more likely to want to invest more time into your career progression.
Prepare for your visits from your assessor
Part of your Apprenticeship programme involves monthly visits from your assessor who will set you tasks to complete before their next visit. Be prepared for your next meeting by striving to complete your set work in plenty of time. This will highlight your planning and time management skills to both your assessor and employer, and being organised will help you develop and progress through your Apprenticeship.
Think about your future
Why are you doing an apprenticeship in the first place. Start thinking about what you want to do after you have finished your apprenticeship. Maybe you would like to gain a promotion one day or maybe you will want to enhance your skills further by enrolling on to a higher level apprenticeship. Whatever it is you want to do, it will be a lot easier to achieve if you plan for it. Planning and acting upon your plan will get you to your end goal faster.
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