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What does mentoring a Foundation Apprentice involve?
Foundation Apprentices are often brand new to the world of work and to your industry. In most cases, this will be their first experience of a workplace like yours. Throughout this guide we have some hints and tips that will help you to prepare for your Foundation Apprentice, onboard them to your organisation and to support them throughout the programme.
Things to consider before your Foundation Apprentice starts:
1. Your Learning Provider should be in touch to discuss the business area your Foundation Apprentice will be learning. They will help you align the tasks and workplace learning to the units they will complete as part of their qualification. You may want to consider a specific project as part of this, or consider what current or upcoming projects the Foundation Apprentice can play a part in.
Foundation Apprenticeship Guides for Employers can support you with this information.
2. Consider a workplace induction before your Foundation Apprentice starts. This supported by information on your dress code, travel to your location, contact details etc. will help to ensure a smooth onboarding into your organisation.
3. Have a plan in place for their first day. Have a think about the relevant team members the Foundation Apprentice should meet as part of this and their wider induction. However large or small your organisation is, this will allow the Foundation Apprentice to get real exposure to the world of work, your industry and the structure of your organisation.
4. Prepare an overview of your organisation. This should include information on different people and their teams and roles, the health & safety practices you have in place and how the Foundation Apprentice fits into your structure.
5. Prepare information on your sector. The Foundation Apprentice has selected this choice as they are interested in your area of work, but other than the learning they are completing with their Learning Provider as part of their qualification this will likely be their first exposure to working within your industry.
6. As their mentor, you will essentially be their Line Manager, unless you have put an additional person in place for Line Management duties. Prepare some information on what is expected from the Foundation Apprentice as a member of your team. This will include everything from start and finish times and how long they get for their lunch, to what your progress review processes are.
Things to consider throughout the Foundation Apprenticeship:
1. Your Foundation Apprentice may have prelims during their time with you. Work with your Foundation Apprentice and Learning Provider to ensure you are made aware of dates and times that prelims may clash with their placement.
2. Foundation Apprentices may not attend placements during school holidays. This could include Christmas and Easter breaks. Your Learning Provider will be able to support with a timetable of dates that they will be on placement with you.
3. Have processes in place to support with monitoring and reviewing your Foundation Apprentice’s performance. This will ensure that you, your organisation and the Foundation Apprentice have a continuous high value work placement which benefits everyone. Remember your Learning Provider
is there to support you to align the duties that you assign your Foundation Apprentice to their qualification and can support with performance.
4. If your Foundation Apprentice is absent on a scheduled placement day you should notify the Learning Provider as soon as possible. This is to ensure the safety of your Foundation Apprentice as the Learning Provider will have processes in place to report non-attendance to the school. You should discuss this process with your Learning Provider.
For further information on how Foundation Apprenticeships work for Employers take a look at the Foundation Apprenticeship: Employer Welcome Pack. This pack contains wider recommendations and further information on additional support available around Mentoring and other key areas.
You can also review the SDS Frequently Asked Questions on Foundation Apprenticeships.
