Dear hiring businesses, let’s stand in the shoes of a job seeker for a minute…
Have you ever experienced the hamster wheel of applying for jobs and being told you need experience? But wait! To get experience, you need to nail that interview and get the job? Running a successful business, we know too well that experience is often one of the top criteria when it comes to shortlisting candidates but by your business taking on a trainee (or apprentice), this can have a variety of benefits for you both professionally and financially. Interested? Keep reading for our top 3 benefits of hiring a trainee….
1. Generous financial Government incentives
Instead of competing for established talent with every other employer on Seek
.com or LinkedIn, it should never be forgotten that entry-level experience, attracts entry-level salary expectations.
Provided that we, as businesses, offer realistic salaries and wages for that role, candidates with little to no experience, do not often wander into our interviews with high salary expectations or inflexible salary ranges in mind.
To support your business, the Federal Government is also offering substantial monetary incentives* for employers who train people with in-demand skills. These “in-demand skills” form part of a skills shortage list and
can often surprise employers, so contact us for details on whether your business may be eligible.
PLUS! In the 2020 Federal Budget, it was announced that there is currently a 50% wage subsidy (up to the value of $28,000, paid in arrears each quarter) which may be available for employers who engage, or re-engage an apprentice/trainee between 5th October 2020 and 31st September 2021. Throw in fee free training, and up to an additional $4,000 in other incentives* and there really is nothing to lose but all to gain!
*These incentives will differ based on each business and their apprentice/trainee, so contact us for more information and eligibility criteria
2. Custom-built workers
Workers with lots of industry experience will often be set in their ways and have their preferred way of doing things.
A junior trainee or apprentice, , will likely come into the industry with fresh eyes, be willing to soak up new information, learn YOUR preferred procedures and processes, and take on constructive feedback with enthusiasm. YOU have the flexibility as a business to design, forge and shape your ideal worker and help pave their career within your industry – what a reward!
3. Tailor qualifications to suit your business needs
Do you find yourself proclaiming in the office that it would be helpful if someone in the office REALLY KNEW how to use Xero? Or Adobe? Or format that Excel spreadsheet? How much time do you spend dropping that formula in, only to find that when you hit enter, it does not auto-calculate that end of year profit for your report?
One of the most over-looked pros of hiring a trainee is the ability to have your say in what specific units of competency (UOC) they study and what skills they come out with at the end of their qualification.
At Novaskill, our training consultants work closely with our experienced Trainers and Assessors who have a thorough understanding on the regulatory requirements involved in every training package. While there are some compulsory units in each qualification, we work with you as the employer, to ensure that the electives chosen will give your business the skilled staff it needs and tailor it so that it the skill set is going to be relevant to their role moving forward. Every student is given a unique and tailored Training Plan to ensure that they maximize their full potential and function as a reliable and skilled team member, long after they finish their course.
We hear it all the time… “everyone wants us to have experience, but no one is willing to give it”. For many young and mature aged (remember, trainees don’t necessarily have to be school leavers) workers, there is often a residual, special place in their heart for the employer that gave them their kick start, and this can often be great word of mouth and FREE advertising in the community for your business as an open, supportive and positive culture to be in.
Finally, one of the strongest benefits for your business taking on a trainee or apprentice is that it instills your own company culture into the candidate, from the first day and in turn, promotes loyalty and longevity. Progression and promotion in a company is not always linear, showing your commitment to professional development and recognising potential does not have to be in the terms of a monetary bonus ($). Showing your staff that you’re invested in their skills and development can promote feelings of support and a sense of worth in the individual, leading to your business establishing a mentally healthy workplace which can result in decreased absence, sick leave and/or resignations.
If you’re still on the fence about which option to choose or would like us to assess your eligibility for any of the above financial incentives, please feel free to reach out for a quick, obligation free chat. But remember, places are strictly limited! So don’t wait too long to pick up that phone.
Interested in finding out more?
* Correct at time of publication ** Available until 30th September 2021.
Incentives, rebates, and fee-free training is subject to eligibility criteria found at vet.nsw.gov.au/fee-free-traineeships. For more information regarding traineeships please visit www.training.nsw.gov.au/apprenticeships_traineeships/employers. For consumer protection information please visit https://smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/for-employers.