Thanks to the baby boomer generation, the job market had enough skilled workers for a long time. But now that's over. And the current Corona crisis is also reducing the number of new apprenticeship contracts. Yes, we know that. But do we also understand how we can change that? If we want to attract new talent, we need to start taking new paths.
Lack of skilled labor successors is a real problem
Every year that we are not successful in attracting skilled labor successors, we lose a cohort of apprentices and therefore a cohort of skilled workers. And the baby boomers will soon retire, leading to the disappearance of valuable experience. To reset the course, talent acquisition must now also become a top priority. Seriously? But we have the HR department for that, they take care of everything. Yes, and that's exactly what needs to change.
Attracting apprentices like customers
Attracting apprentices is mostly the responsibility of HR professionals everywhere. However, this is too narrow-minded. Because their core tasks lie in the administrative realm: personnel selection and management, payroll, labor law, etc. These skills are certainly needed, but only after the application process. But finding apprentices starts long before that. Methods and tools can be used for this purpose, similar to those used in customer acquisition. And who knows about that? Well, marketing professionals, of course.
Turning students into fans
When it comes to attracting apprentices, the goal is to find young people who want to establish a long-term relationship with a company. This is very similar to attracting and retaining customers, which requires significant effort. In addition to online communication, trade fairs and events are organized, test drives and trials are offered, personal contact is sought, and immediate persuasion is the goal. This is where the so-called marketing mix comes into play. After all, you have to go big, not small, to win hearts. Why not take the same approach to building a fan base among young people?
Create a strong employer brand for apprentices
To specifically attract the younger generation to your company as an apprenticeship provider, you need a strong employer brand. But our employer branding is really good. Definitely. But does it reach 14 to 19-year-olds? Your employer brand must meet the needs of young people, otherwise, it won't be attractive. Attracting skilled labor successors is an important corporate resource that can be tapped annually with the right marketing strategy. Never miss out on revenue again because you lack enough skilled labor successors.
In 6 steps to suitable apprentices
Inspire - truly inspire many young people in the school environment Awaken - awaken their interest in the profession and the company in the first place Engage - invite the interested parties to a head+heart+hands experience in the company Try out - let them try out the professions at the actual workplace Motivate - stay connected with those who remain interested and guide them to internships, trial days, etc. Find - close many apprenticeship contracts that last
