Training Conversations
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
Peter O’Connell, MAST Academy Assessor and Advanced Textiles Industries New Zealand Technical Advisor, shares his insights on training an apprentice and why getting the foundations right from day one helps the next few years look after themselves.
Image: Peter O’Connell
Background: Upholstery work by Bryce Farrow, Total Trim Canvas & Upholstery
WORKPLACE CULTURE: This is one area where companies can look at their operation and ask themselves a few questions before taking on an apprentice. Is your workshop culture right for training today? Is there any generational or gender bias? Is it inclusive? Do people work as a team, or as individuals, each focused on their own agenda? Do you value everyone’s opinion and encourage collaboration? A positive workplace culture doesn’t just benefit apprentices – it strengthens your whole business.
YOUR MINDSET AS AN EMPLOYER: Why do you want an apprentice? Is it for cheap labour, someone to do all the meaningless jobs around the workshop, or are you genuinely interested in training for the future of your business and the industry as a whole?
INVESTING IN TRAINING: Some businesses set aside a regular time each week for the trainer and apprentice to check progress, answer questions and work through anything the apprentice may be struggling with. This could be skill development, assessment requirements, or understanding the correct legislation. I’ve seen this approach help keep apprentices on track and engaged in their training. I’ve also seen different approaches to training costs. Sometimes the apprentice pays, sometimes the company does. One model that worked particularly well was the company covering the costs, provided the apprentice met agreed progress milestones. It created accountability on both sides and reinforced the value of the investment.
SETTING EXPECTATIONS: I’ve seen many apprentices drift through their apprenticeship, only to realise the end is in sight and then have to rush to get everything completed. Have a conversation right at the beginning and clearly outline expectations. Develop a plan and pathway for both yourself and the apprentice, including what timely progress looks like and be clear about any other expectations your company may have. This could include behaviour both inside and outside of work, how that reflects on the business and what respect looks like within your workplace culture. In addition encouraged apprentices to participate in industry training and competitions, making participation an expectation.
MISTAKES AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM: Everyone will make mistakes, and how you deal with them can have a profound effect on an apprentice’s mindset and future success. While attitudes and approaches have changed, here are some things worth thinking about.
No one sets out to get it wrong and no one wants to feel belittled because they did. As an employer, the last thing you want is people hiding mistakes for fear of the consequences. It’s an area that requires good leadership.
When I was training apprentices, I tried to create an environment where people felt safe coming to me when something went wrong. From there, we would take a collaborative approach to solving the issue. Sometimes this was a one-on-one discussion, other times it became a whole-team learning opportunity. The focus was always on achieving the best outcome for the job.
Once the issue was resolved, we would revisit the mistake in a calm and constructive way. Why did it happen? What would you do differently next time? What was the learning? As the trainer, I would also reflect on my own role. Were the instructions clear? Had sufficient training been provided and was there anything I could have done better?
As a trainer, never assume you know everything or that you’re beyond learning. We can all learn from the mistakes of others. One person’s mistake is another person’s data. One leadership quote which has always stayed with me: “A mistake isn’t really a mistake until it can’t be fixed. Until then, it’s a learning opportunity.” – the original version was a little more colourful, but the message remains the same.
