Apprentices

The Apprenticeship Program for
the Technical Trades

What is an Occupational Apprentice?

An "Apprentice" is a person who wants to learn a skill or trade and is willing to learn the job from a professional tradesperson.  

An Apprentice can be grown into an excellent
technician for your shop.

Finding the Best Apprentice for Your Shop

Apprentice candidates want to be professionally trained in auto body repair or refinishing, but are afraid of working in a dead end shop with the wrong staff, tools, and trainers.  Their goal is to learn how to produce top dollars for themselves and their family.

Mentors @ Work's system performs web-based evaluations of Apprentice candidates.  You can use the evaluations to determine whether an applicant is right for your store and your Mentoring/Apprenticeship Program.

What Are the Benefits to Being an Apprentice?

An Apprenticeship can speed up the learning 
process for an Apprentice.

The benefits of an Apprenticeship are logical, but often not considered or explained as part of the hiring process.  They are:

• Faster learning
• Quicker entry into the industry
• Higher levels of competence achieved quicker
• A personal "trainer"
• Higher income levels
• Someone to turn to when logic or experience does not work
• Working in an organization dedicated to learning
• Better shops use Mentoring, so there is less reason to "job hop"

Is There a Downside to Being an Apprentice?

Yes, there can be drawbacks.  Most shops who have tried to develop internal training programs for the automotive trades have done a poor job.  Mentors @ Work lays out a plan to overcome and quickly identify when the most common problems occur.  The problems generally are:

• No plan for the training process - Frustration
• "Mis-hiring" Apprentices who are not committed to learn
• Pairing an Apprentice with a Mentor who is not committed to train
• Owner or general manager is not committed to the process
• Insufficient tools
• No review of progress
• Poor pay methods for both the Mentor and the Apprentice
• Overly aggressive plan for turning an Apprentice into an top technician

Profiling the Apprentice for the Owner

Mentors @ Work can profile your Apprentice
candidates to improve the chances they will 
be a successful Apprentice.

Apprentice candidates are uncertain about their future in any industry or line of work.  However, with the Mentors @ Work Mentoring/Apprenticeship Program, an Apprentice candidate can see the process he or she will be using to enter a new career path.  

Do not forget that change is intimidating to every person, but if an Apprentice candidate sees that they can turn to someone with more experience who is willing to help them, they can quickly become a valuable asset to your shop.