Hiring for character and training for skill makes a lot of sense in residential home services. Our industry knows that there are not many skilled tradespeople looking for work, so growing our own workforce is a viable solution to ensure that we keep up with homeowner demand.
Online technical training makes this easier, and the NexTech Academy team has been keeping track of successful companies as the program has increased to over 500 users. Beyond focusing on why some people are successful in an online vocational program, we also learned why some students are not.
Our biggest takeaway has been that there is a direct link between poor performance and the amount of support provided by the employer. Students have a hard time staying engaged if they are told to go home, work through NexTech and are essentially not treated as part of the team. Can you blame them?
If you got into this industry through the school of hard knocks, that might be a hard pill to swallow. The truth is that we’re not going to be able to meet the workforce demand if we hold on to that attitude. There is too much competition from other industries. As an employer, you need to move beyond telling apprentices that the trades are a good industry—you need to show them.
To help companies think through this, we’ve created a checklist that you can use to help you identify if you’re offering the support your students need.
Checklist: What Do You Do When Your New Technician Is Underperforming?
Examine Your Expectations
- Do you have a clear understanding of their technical ability and aptitude?
- Do you have a realistic pace for the program? How does that relate to their life outside of work?
- Have you set training goals for them? Have you communicated these goals?
- Have you recognized and rewarded good performance?
What Does Their Support System Look Like?
- Are you holding weekly one on ones with them?
- Are you able to dedicate time to them? Are you perceived as available?
- How are you providing feedback / encouragement?
- How are they perceived by senior technicians?
- Have they been on ride-along calls with senior technicians?Have you asked them what could be better about their apprenticeship experience?
Have You Clearly Communicated Job Expectations?
- How often are you looking at their NexTech Academy progress?
- When you meet are you making time for questions or discussing areas that might be more challenging for them?
- Have you set goals for training completion and skill assessment completion?
Are They Part Of Your Culture?
- Are you including apprentices in staff meetings and team trainings?
- Have you shared the history of the company as well as your vision for the company’s future?
- Do they understand what their job will look like once they’ve moved beyond apprenticeship?
What If They Still Aren’t Performing?
If you’ve used this tool, had conversations, set expectations, monitored their progress, and they still are making excuses for performance? Then it’s them and not you. Respectfully set them free of their apprenticeship and fill their spot with someone new.
A bonus of NexTech Academy is that you pay as you go, meaning that you would only be out for what they’ve completed so far. This is different than other trainings, in which you pay upfront and there is no refund or guarantee that the person will work out.
Growing the workforce is not easy, but it is a way forward. NexTech Academy is here to provide you with the right tools, curriculum and support to make it possible.
