How to support my child in applying for an apprenticeship or traineeship?

Starting an apprenticeship or traineeship is a great way for your child to gain practical skills and experience in a trade, all while earning a wage and eventually becoming a qualified tradesperson. Unlike most university students, apprentices and trainees finish their qualifications without any study debt and are very likely to find full-time work as soon as they finish. It can be difficult to know how to support your child in applying for an apprenticeship or traineeship, so we’ve put together a list to help you:

Finding an employer willing to take on an apprentice or trainee can be challenging. Access to a network of industry contacts can be invaluable. You can explore these contacts options through your child’s school or even a career expo. Employers often look for apprentices on job search websites like Seek and Indeed. Run a search using keywords like “apprentice” or “trainee”, with the specific trade they are interested in as a key word. With any application, make sure your child follows up to increase their chance of an interview.

Apprenticeships and traineeships can be competitive, so standing out from the crowd is key. Help your child create a resume that highlights their skills, work experience, volunteering, and any other activities they are involved in, as well as their goals and why they want the apprenticeship or traineeship. If your child doesn’t have any existing work experience, point out any times they have shown initiative, leadership or dedication to their studies or activities.

Help your child by:

• running through potential interview questions and giving feedback.
• helping them to write a few questions of their own to ask their potential employer (this shows genuine interest and enthusiasm towards the role).
• explaining the importance of showing up early and having an attentive and positive attitude at the interview. Construction employers are often more interested in finding an apprenticeship with a good attitude than one with lots of experience.

Sometimes the best way to help your child is by simply being available and supportive when they have any concerns or difficulties. There is a lot of information for them to take in; if they start to feel overwhelmed, remind them that it’s normal for the process to be a bit confusing, and that they aren’t alone. Support can come in many different forms, just keep aware of areas your child might need more support in and empower them to tackle other areas on their own. At the end of the day, they’ll complete their apprenticeship on their own, but having support from the sideline can make all the difference.

We have a range of resources on apprenticeships and traineeships for school students and young adults – if your child is looking for more information on where to start, you can direct them here.