Traditional apprenticeship models often fail because they impose one-sided expectations without assessing individual aptitudes or learning styles, and they frequently pair mentors and apprentices based on availability rather than personality compatibility. Redefining success through transparent skill assessments, honest conversations about expectations, personalized learning paths, and strategic mentor-apprentice matching—along with dedicated motivational support—significantly improves apprentice retention and success rates.
- Most apprenticeships measure success as an all-or-nothing achievement of industry-wide skills goals, rather than assessing individual aptitude in each skill area
- Employers rarely conduct personality or learning style assessments for either mentors or apprentices, leading to poor pairing and reduced engagement
- Apprentices often discover challenging job expectations after starting, causing them to leave the trade or job-hop rather than commit to development
- Mentor motivation suffers when they're expected to provide both technical training and soft skills support without dedicated motivational resources
- Success rates improve significantly with transparent upfront conversations about skills expectations, timelines, and personalized learning paths agreed upon by both parties
WHY TRADITIONAL APPRENTICESHIP MODELS FALL SHORT
In this third edition, we explore the challenges behind inconsistent apprentice success and the key role employers play. From outdated training methods to mismatched expectations, this conversation offers fresh insight into creating more transparent, personalized and effective apprenticeship experiences.
SHE: So, what would you like to explore today?
HE: Today I’d like to explore why my current strategies in training and developing apprentices are inconsistent in their successes.
SHE: Ok, tell me a little bit about why you feel your current apprenticeships haven’t been successful enough for you.
HE: Over the years I’ve had many apprentices and mentors throughout the company. Many of them were successful to some degree but many were not.
SHE: What made the successful ones, successful?
HE: They achieved their skills goals. Well, more like the industry’s skills goals for new apprentices.
SHE: Interesting. Are you saying that currently you are measuring the success of your apprenticeships based on an apprentice’s ability to reach the skills goals set for them by your industry? Sounds like it’s all been figured out for them: a pretty one-sided approach. Why don’t you think it’s working?
HE: When you say it like that, I don’t think we as an industry even bother to ask the apprentice what they want to learn or how they want to learn. We just set out skills, goals and timelines and even choose their career paths for them. Often choosing the paths we feel will best suit the shop.
SHE: I’m curious, how are employers making those career path choices? Are new apprentices undergoing an assessment process or something like that?
HE: No, that normally doesn’t happen, but I think it would help. But more than that, I don’t believe that all the skills required even come in the same personality.
SHE: Can you give me an example?
HE: Take the body technician role. Our trade requires them to be welders, electricians, computer programmers, HVAC technicians, mechanics and painters all to a certain various degree. If I renovate my house that would represent a greater number of people. We are looking for all these skills in each successful candidate. If an apprentice lacks aptitude in one area they aren’t “successful”.
SHE: Wow, I can see how those factors certainly influence the success rate for an apprentice in this industry. I’m curious, are new apprentices aware of all these skill development expectations from the start?
HE: I don’t know, that’s a good question! I don’t think most people know to ask or most employers even think to mention it. I know we like to mention all the cool stuff about working with cars, to help create excitement about the industry. We don’t normally share all the challenging parts about being in this industry. They normally find out later.
SHE: What normally happens when they find out about all the challenges?
HE: We see them leave the trade or hop from shop to shop thinking it will be different.
SHE: Do you see opportunity for change when it comes to starting these new relationships off on a more open and transparent level?
HE: Yes, I feel starting with a simplified and honest conversation with new apprentices about the skills expectations and timelines for each role would be better. This will help set expectations together.
SHE: Sounds great, start building trust right from the beginning. Are there any changes you feel you would like to make when it comes to your future apprenticeships?
HE: I’d like to assess aptitude for each skill and reframe success by each learned skill rather than all or nothing.
SHE: Do you feel that will raise the success rate of your apprenticeships?
HE: I think it will help end the conversation from being one sided.
SHE: Absolutely, these types of conversations will help both sides set themselves up for success by agreeing how future successes will be measured. Is there anything else you feel is blocking more apprentices from being as successful as possible?
HE: Well, our mentors struggle with motivation.
SHE: Why do you think mentors struggle to stay motivated? What do you think that’s about?
HE: Well yes, they do struggle with that as well, but I meant that they see apprentices’ motivation wane. But now that we are saying it out loud, I don’t know which one goes first?
SHE: Ok, so whose motivation would you like to discuss first? Mentors’ or apprentices’?
HE: Let’s go with mentors.
SHE: Ok. How are you picking your mentors? How are you ensuring that your mentors want to be mentors in the first place?
HE: Generally, it’s a senior tech and we ask if they will do it.
SHE: How do you think your current selection system works for the teamed-up mentor/apprentice’s level of engagement?
HE: Sometimes the personalities don’t vibe. Some apprentices are super self motivated. Really eager to learn. They just go with whoever they are given as a mentor, and despite any personality differences they make it work. Some apprentices though need a lot more encouragement and explanation. They’re more difficult to find successful pairings.
SHE: It sounds as though a good personality match between mentor and apprentice is an essential part of this process.
HE: Yes, but the technical learning is one part. The encouragement and motivation and accountability really drain the mentor.
SHE: Do you think you might find the motivation of the mentors would be higher if they didn’t need to provide all the soft skills too?
HE: Could I have someone who can be the motivational support, or accountability partner so the mentors don’t need to be?
SHE: Yes. I would still suggest doing the personality and learning style assessments for all mentors and apprentice candidates.
The results from these assessments will help you pair the ideal mentor’s training style and personality to each apprentice’s learning style and personality for more consistent success.
