We all know how important apprentices are to the electrical sector, but many contractors are still hesitant about taking on an apprentice in their business. There’s a very understandable reason for this; finding, employing and managing an apprentice involves a lot of work. From understanding and following apprentice supervision requirement guidelines to managing wages and induction, contractors doing the whole process by themselves have a lot of different balls to juggle, which can have a detrimental effect on other areas of their business.

We offer you a different approach. Our apprentice management program (AMP) takes the stress out of looking after an apprentice, allowing contractors to reap the rewards and satisfaction of taking on an apprentice without any of the downsides.

What you have to do for your electrical apprentices

Electrical apprentices attend off-the-job training (TAFE) for the first three years of their four-year apprenticeship, taking time out of work on the job site to attend class to complete the Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician. This can be on either a day release or block release basis.

Apprentices must also document their on-the-job training. This is called profiling and must be verified and signed off by the apprentice’s work supervisor. It must be completed as part of the apprentices’ Certificate III and verified by their teachers and mentors.

CBOS have developed minimum supervision standards in the performance of electrical work. These are designed to assist supervising electricians and electrical contractors as they supervise electrical apprentices during on-the-job training for the electrical apprenticeship.

The requirements reflect the intent of ‘effective supervision’ as defined in the Standards of Electrical Work – this code does not remove or limit any obligation to comply with the Work Health and Safety Act..

It is the responsibility of the supervising electrician to provide effective supervision to the apprentice.

Effective supervision means being present at the site of the electrical work to the extent necessary to ensure that the work is being correctly performed and carried out in accordance with the act and regulations. The supervisor must be aware of the details of the electrical work being performed, give instruction and direction, and is responsible for the compliance of the electrical work.

Taking on an apprentice is a serious commitment. It comes with the responsibility of ensuring your new team member learns the skills they’ll need for successful career progression. However, properly managing apprentice progression demands more than simply showing an apprentice how to complete specific tasks.

In reality, managing an apprentice in Australia covers everything from work-based learning and on-the-job training to providing feedback and personal support. This can be a challenge for busy contractors, so we aim to help you understand some ways the process can be simplified and share key skills needed to make the apprenticeship a success.

So, how can contractors ensure that all parties are satisfied at completion of an apprenticeship?

Managing apprentice progression is difficult enough without having to worry about all of the associated paperwork, which can include recruitment and payroll, as well as off-the-job training if you’re taking on the entire employment responsibility on your own. Accordingly, many contractors prefer to host an apprentice through a group training organisation (GTO) such as NECA. This eliminates the need to waste time on admin, allowing contractors to focus on the leadership and training sides of the apprenticeship process.

Hosting an apprentice can help keep business management processes simple, and can reduce business costs by condensing payments into one transaction, rather than being split into wages, superannuation, tax, apprenticeship training, tools and more.

Managing an apprentice requires patience and an understanding of their level of experience.

2. Set the right expectations 

While hosting can simplify apprentice management, it’s still critical for business leaders to set the right expectations – for apprentices, their supervisors and the contractors they’ll be working with. For apprentices, the shift into work-based learning can be a steep learning curve and for some, it may be their first job. It’s important to set out some early guidelines around the level of professionalism required, as well as the health and safety regulations that need to be adhered to.

Similarly, some contractors may struggle with the training side of managing an apprentice. Patience and a willingness to clearly explain processes that an electrician knows inside-out are key to making an apprenticeship work. Accordingly, business leaders should spend time considering which workers are best suited to the direct supervision of an apprentice, as not everybody has the right personality for the job.

Finally, perhaps the most important skill that contractors, supervisors and business leaders need when managing an apprentice is how to give constructive feedback. While off-the-job learning will be complemented by external education from a training provider, on-site work will be where apprentices learn their job roles and responsibilities. As a result, it’s vital to know what feedback apprentices need, and how to give it appropriately and positively.

Delivering feedback relies on positive communication skills and understanding different personality types. Some contractors may already have these abilities, but for those who don’t, training courses can help provide them with the knowledge they need on how to give advice and constructive criticism to apprentices.