Benefits of Hiring Graduates, Apprentices & Trainees
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When a business identifies an additional resource need, or alternatively the need to backfill a current role vacancy, the key requirement that is always discussed first is years and type of experience required for the ideal candidate. Is it because it is automatically assumed with experience comes a more highly skilled potential candidate, and a smoother transition to a business employee and through onboarding? If you are thinking yes, the below reasons outline why businesses are missing out on key Graduate talent and the benefits of hiring these fresh minded individuals straight out of the completion of their degree or training course!
Investing in your future
Developing the capability for a business to grow is something all employers should continually be considering, and by employing an apprentice, graduate or trainee is one way to do so. By choosing to hire those that technically may not have proven experience allows you to customise their training and onboarding to ensure there are mutual benefits for the both the new employee and you as an employer. This can be tailored to ensure you are fulfilling the employees interests and career aspirations, as well as developing the right skills and understandings for your specific business needs too – it’s a win-win!
Fresh ideas and ways of thinking!
Taking on an apprentice, trainee or graduate can bring ‘new life’ into the workplace through fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. It also provides an opportunity for long term staff members to impart their knowledge and skills, ensuring valuable 'tricks of the trade' are passed on to future generations. Having spent the last 3 or 4 years learning critical thinking skills means that most graduates will be highly inquisitive upon starting a new role. They will be able to notice things existing employees seem to miss, or question methods that have been in place for years, helping to make your company more efficient.
Less Costly
Due to their lack of experience most graduates will not expect a high starting salary. It is important to ensure you seek advice on current market salaries to benchmark against what an average salary should look like for candidates who have completed certain degrees or undertaken studies. However, as a general rule of thumb with less year’s tangible work experience a candidate has, comes a lower salary expectation meaning it is more affordable for a business to hire now and think longer term about their business talent.
Transferrable Expert Knowledge
What all Graduates and Trainees have in common is their in-depth knowledge about a specific subject or trade they have gained throughout their recent studies. It is a competitive market, so it is more common than ever that young talent will need to stand out in other ways, such as having previous work experience, excellent soft skills, and most importantly being a great match for your company culture.
Studying helps our young talent develop core transferable skills such as written and oral communication, problem solving, teamwork, presentation, and data analysis skills. Technical graduates will also have up-to-date specialist or technical skills gained from studies and be very comfortable with technology that can also be applied and transferrable to your business as well.
Adaptable and Flexible
A true advantage of recruiting graduates or candidates who have just completed their studies, is unlike other new recruits they don’t have any bad habits they might have picked up from previous jobs. You as an employer can teach them how to complete certain tasks in a way that best suits you and the business, and in general they will learn and pick-up new tasks a lot quicker too – they are willing to accept change and learn at a fast paced!
Issues that sometimes arise with a more experienced candidate is that they may see certain tasks as administrative or ‘beneath them’, and in turn can be reluctant to take on certain scope of works. However, young talent have that general can-do attitude and are excited to try new things as well as prove themselves. A graduate will jump on anything you offer them as they're more open to new opportunities and will do much more to gain new experiences.