2. Find a mentor for your apprentice
If anyone is in a good position to give advice on how to navigate a successful path through a childcare apprenticeship, it’s a former apprentice. These team members make good mentors as they can relate to what the apprentice is going through and provide support. The advice they are able to provide to new apprentices is invaluable, especially when they are finding things tough.
4. Give regular feedback
Schedule regular meetings with your apprentice to find out how they’re doing and use this time to give them feedback on how well they’re progressing. Having these meetings allows you to review any objectives and goals you have set for the apprentice to make sure they’re on the right track.
5. Let parents know
Parents can be surprisingly supportive once you let them know that an apprentice has started at your setting. Reassure them that the new apprentice is being supervised at all times whilst they gain their qualification and that their patience is appreciated whilst they become familiar with how things are done. Having positive interactions with parents will help the apprentice settle in much quicker and form lasting connections, which also advantages the children.
Supporting a new apprentice to become a confident and capable childcare practitioner could be one the most rewarding things you ever do. The benefits they pass onto the children they care for, through their own unique blend of enthusiasm and commitment, makes an apprentice a valuable addition to any setting.
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