A key element to a successful and positive learning experience for an apprentice often comes down to the input and supervision of a mentor. In a Registered Apprenticeship program, the sponsoring employer is required to identify skilled employees who have the knowledge to take on a mentorship role and guide and assist apprentices as they move through on-the-job training. Mentorship is an essential part of Registered Apprenticeships and helps ensure apprentices are successful in their on-the-job training by providing tools and resources to the company employees who will be mentoring them.
To help ensure that mentors are properly prepared for this role, they may complete a three-week online training course. Upon completion, participants are presented with an ApprenticeshipNH Mentor Training Certificate of Completion.
“The mentor training program was helpful because it gave me a lot of new perspectives to think about as we move forward with our apprenticeship program,” said Ray Perry, injectors center leader at Spraying Systems Co. in Merrimack. “I believe this training program will make me a better mentor and ultimately benefit our apprentices and company.”
The mentor training program includes sessions to help individuals better understand and prepare for working with apprentices. Module topics include understanding different learning styles, problem solving and goal setting, cultural competence and communication and conflict resolution. The training program also provides an opportunity to learn from other professionals across different sectors to share and develop best practices together. Mentors leave the training program with a better understanding of how the apprenticeship program is structured and how their roles fit into the larger goals of the apprenticeship program that their employer sponsors.
The value of a good mentor with the right resources, knowledge and skills to prepare apprentices for their new career is paramount. At the same time, employers also benefit from the assurance that their new employees possess real world experience along with a network of resources and colleagues with invaluable advice that help them remain highly engaged. The structured approach to mentorship in the workplace also creates a positive and collaborative work environment that is beneficial to experienced staff, newer team members and apprentices alike.
“I get to work with seasoned nurses who have been on the job for 30 plus years who know a lot and are amazing. There are also brand-new nurses who are right out of the training program and they are also amazing,” said Hollie MacLean, an apprentice at Coos County Family Health Services. “We all work together and it is a great learning experience.”
The mentor training program is available free of charge to all employers who sponsor a Registered Apprenticeship program.
Employers interested in developing an apprenticeship of their own may visit https://apprenticeshipnh.com/request-info/for-employers/ to get started.
