Apprentice Search 2022: How to Find the Right Trainees for Your Company

Successful apprentice search in 2022!

Apprenticeship 2022 – The search for new apprentices is starting again! The situation for companies: rather difficult! Too few applicants face a large number of training positions. To find suitable trainees and win them over, you must capture every attention in the fiercely competitive trainee market and score points.

Find out in this article what expectations young people have of their training companies, where and how you can find suitable trainees, and what means you can use to enthuse more young people about your company.

Apprentice Search: What Expectations Do Young People Have of Your Training Company?

If you want to succeed in the fight for apprentices, you must increasingly focus on the needs of the trainees and know their wishes.

In times of Corona, conservative values are becoming more and more prominent. Above all, the topics of security and future have gained enormous importance for most young people. According to the apprentice.report 2021, over 2/3 of the apprentices surveyed wish for a secure job for their future. In addition to high job security, apprentices also hope for a good work-life balance (62%) and enjoyment at work (67%).

Our tip on how you can meet the expectations of potential apprentices during your apprentice search:

Offer security and future prospects: Score points with additional training opportunities in the form of courses or further education (foreign language courses, programming training, courses on topics such as communication skills, ability to criticize or negotiation skills, etc.). Communicate opportunities to rise into higher positions and good salary prospects. These are all points that are important to trainees as they determine their further life planning. Talk to your trainees in a timely manner about positions after training, ideally also about a takeover guarantee, so they have security and do not have to look elsewhere.

Nice colleagues are an important factor that certainly ensures more enjoyment at work. A pleasant working atmosphere should therefore receive special attention during the interview. Also, use digital opportunities such as social networks and regularly get insights into everyday work. Introduce the team, and definitely remain authentic here.

Trainees also desire a work-life balance. Provide initiatives for extracurricular sports activities, such as organized running meetings, fitness studio events, or offer recurring events like after-work drinks or dinners.

Trainee search 2022: How do you find suitable trainees?

1. Fast beats slow
2. Offer preferred application methods
3. Involve parents
4. Advertise in the right places
   

Fast beats slow! Start your search for new trainees in good time. According to the azubi.report 2021, 38% of trainees start looking for a suitable position about 6-12 months before the start of training. 26% even begin their search more than a year before the training begins. The speed of the entire application process is also an important factor for a successful trainee search. A survey found that 37% started their training with the company that gave them the first acceptance. It's best not to wait longer than a week with your personal response to an application. Long waiting times can lead to early withdrawal of applications by those seeking training.

Offer preferred application methods! The postal method is less popular with Generation Z. One in two students prefers to apply directly through an online form on the employer's company website. Every third candidate prefers to apply via email. Only about one in seven prefer to apply on paper. In times of podcasts, TikTok, and Snapchat, you would think Generation Z would prefer new application methods. Yet video applications continue to play a subordinate role for young people.

Advertise in the right places. An appealing career website that is intuitive to use and answers the most important questions of young people is essential. Traditional job advertisements on online portals are no longer sufficient. You must increasingly approach young people and spark interest in your training positions. Ideally, do this where they already spend their free time: on social media! You can learn which channels are best suited for your trainee search in the last section.

Involve parents! The path to young people also leads through their parents. They still have a say when it comes to their children's professional future. Gain the trust and support of the parents. Also reach parents on social networks with suitable trainee advertisements. You will learn more about this in the last section.

Which channels are useful for the trainee search?

Our future employees (Generation Z) in particular have grown up in the digital age and have integrated digitalization into their daily lives. This primarily includes online media and social networks. How can you optimally use the channels to find suitable trainees? The Facebook platform alone is now used by more than 1.93 billion people to receive all relevant information for themselves. An enormous reach that this platform provides for finding suitable applicants and trainees. The unbeatable advantage of social networks is the large volume of data available through users' social media profiles. Thus, suitable candidates can be very specifically reached with a job (advertisement) based on criteria such as location, interests, or browsing behavior.