• • • ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT • • • Could you guide a trainee? By Mick Fitzgerald, director, Options Skills
hold. As COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift, and the economy grows again, now is the perfect time for growing electrical businesses to revisit their recruitment and growth strategies. Mick Fitzgerald, Director, Options Skills, explores
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the myriad benefits of recruiting a trainee, as well as the skills you’ll need to become a successful mentor.
IS IT THE RIGHT TIME TO GROW YOUR TEAM?
Are you spending too much time on the tools? –
you may find yourself spending more time at work than you’d like to, and it might be affecting your work- life balance. Or perhaps you want to dedicate more time to working on your business, rather than in it.
2. Are you thinking about retirement? – if you’re
starting to plan for your retirement – even if it’s not for 5 or 10 years – you may be thinking about the future of your business once you ‘hang up’ the tools. By recruiting a junior team member, you can build your business’ legacy and ensure that your business will be in safe hands once you’re ready to retire.
3. Are you looking to make the most of your success? – has your business started to rapidly grow, and you want to continue the momentum of this success? It may be time to invest in recruitment to grow your capacity, allowing you to reach more customers at once.
THE COST OF TEAM GROWTH For UK businesses, the average cost per hire is
24 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • MAY 2021
ast year was financially challenging for almost every business, and it saw many putting growth and recruitment plans on
£3,000. This can be even higher when using a recruitment agency, as the fee is often around 20- 30% of the new employee’s salary. For smaller electrical businesses, this high cost of recruitment may deter team growth. Trainees can be a great addition to any electrical team. They’re looking to build their practical skills portfolio and are eager to learn and develop with your business. Recruiting a trainee is a cost- effective approach to recruitment, as some training providers will match you with the right trainee for your business, without any associated fees.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MENTOR?
As a seasoned electrician, you’re likely to already have all of the skills and characteristics needed to successful mentor a trainee, including: 1. Experience and knowledge of the trade – your first-hand experience has given you all the ‘on the job’ skills, which you can pass on to a trainee, encouraging them to develop their practical skills to support the theory they have already learnt in the classroom. 2. Commitment to the trade – if you’re passionate about your work and the electrical trade, it’s likely you’ll enjoy sharing you craft with a trainee, and your enthusiasm will inspire them to feel the same. 3. Patience and understanding – like any teacher or mentor, patience and understanding are key skills to help a trainee to learn and grow. It will be on ongoing process, but it’s likely that trainees will pick up important skills quickly. 4. Ambitious – if you’re dedicated to growing your business, you’ll be motivated to work with trainees to build their skill set, so they can offer great service to all of your clients.
WHAT’S THE BENEFIT OF RECRUITING A TRAINEE?
1. Trainees are committed to personal growth – trainees are funding their own learning, demonstrating their commitment to their own professional development. This means they will make a committed and reliable addition to your team. 2. Adult trainee means adult attitudes – electrical trainees are often people who have chosen to pursue a new career path, meaning they typically have lots of previous work experience. This means they will likely have a mature attitude when it comes to working. 3. The right cultural fit – as a result of their work experience and additional support from training providers, adult trainees are likely to have a range of soft skills, so they will fit straight in to your workplace culture. 4. Increase your capacity – more team members means you can delight more clients with your services. The additional income earned can then be used to invest in further business growth. 5. Leave a learning legacy – you can leave behind a legacy by training the next generation of tradespeople. This legacy will last way beyond your retirement.
COULD YOU MENTOR AN ASPIRING ELECTRICIAN?
As an experienced electrician, your wide range of knowledge and expertise will help you to mentor and develop junior team members and trainees, helping them to build their skills portfolio and grow into successful tradespeople themselves.
OPTIONS SKILLS
options-skills.co.uk
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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