How HR Apprentices Can Fill Your Skill Gaps

Apprenticeships Blogs

Feeling overwhelmed by the ever-growing workload in your HR department? You're not alone. Many HR teams are stretched thin, juggling administrative tasks with strategic initiatives.

This blog explores how HR apprenticeships can be the solution you've been looking for.

We'll highlight the ways HR apprentices can:

Bridge the skills gap
Close the gender gap
Develop HR specialists
Embrace the future

Ready to build a well-rounded and future-proof HR department? Let's dive in!

What is the role of a HR apprentice?

An HR apprentice is a valuable asset to any organisation's Human Resources department. They provide administrative and operational support, working alongside more experienced HR professionals to learn the ropes and get their foot in the door of an exciting industry.

This could involve tasks like employee onboarding, maintaining personnel files, assisting with recruitment, and even helping with training and development initiatives.

While their initial tasks may not involve high-level responsibilities due to their developing experience, this hands-on approach is crucial. Through assisting with smaller tasks at the beginning, they gain invaluable industry knowledge.

As their skills and confidence grow alongside the team, HR apprentices can gradually progress towards taking on more responsibility within the department, especially post-course completion.

Leveraging HR apprentices to streamline operations

A recent survey revealed a surprising truth: only 17% of HR professionals saw their career path as a clear route to becoming CEO or managing director.

This is interesting considering that a majority of those surveyed had already spent over a decade in HR, yet the survey found instances of HR professionals stuck in interim roles for as long as eight years!

This data highlights a potential gap in HR career development and one way to address this and empower existing HR staff could be through the strategic integration of apprentices. Hiring apprentices brings in eager individuals with fresh perspectives, but more importantly, it allows seasoned HR professionals to focus on their own growth.

By delegating administrative and operational tasks to apprentices, experienced staff can dedicate their time to higher-level strategic initiatives, professional development opportunities, and potentially even mentoring the next generation of HR leaders.

This frees up bandwidth for everyone, fostering a more efficient and development-oriented HR team.

Incorporating apprentices into the HR team creates a win-win situation. Apprentices gain valuable experience and knowledge, while existing staff can focus on career advancement and strategic contributions.

This benefits individual growth and strengthens the overall effectiveness of the HR department.

Close the gender gap with HR apprentices

While HR departments play a vital role in fostering diversity within a company, a surprising statistic reveals a gender gap within HR itself, as studies show only 24% of HR staff are male.

This lack of diversity can hinder the department's effectiveness. Building an inclusive team is crucial, as men and women often bring different strengths to the table. A blend of genders creates a more comprehensive view of employee needs, leading to better HR solutions.

By offering apprenticeship programmes, HR departments can create entry points that appeal to both men and women who might not have considered HR careers before.

Apprenticeships provide a valuable combination of on-the-job experience and structured learning, making them accessible to those without extensive HR backgrounds. This broadens the talent pool and allows men to enter the field at an earlier stage, fostering a more balanced HR team over time.

Nurturing the development of HR specialisms

Another advantage of HR apprenticeships is the ability to cultivate talent specifically aligned with your company's needs. By working with the apprenticeship provider, you can tailor the learning experience to address any skills gaps within the HR department.

Although coursework and classroom-based learning is all encompassing, if your company requires a strong focus on recruitment, you can prioritise on-the-job experiences related to certain HR specialist areas your company needs.

Through this targeted approach, apprentices gain the specific skill sets needed to excel in specialist HR roles within your company, creating a well-rounded HR department overall.

Empowering HR professionals with AI skills

The future of HR is demonstrably tech-driven. Research shows a whopping 78% of HR professionals believe artificial intelligence and people metrics will be central to their field. However, many current HR staff lack the skills needed to navigate this new landscape. This is where the strategic integration of apprentices with AI expertise becomes a game changer.

By upskilling new apprentices who already possess AI knowledge and skills, companies can lay the groundwork for a future-proofed HR department. These apprentices bring fresh perspectives and a foundational understanding of AI, allowing them to readily adapt to emerging technologies within HR.

An apprentice who can assist with traditional HR tasks and help develop AI-powered recruitment tools or analyse employee data to identify trends and predict potential issues streamlines HR processes overall. This also allows experienced staff to focus on higher-level strategies that leverage AI for maximum benefit.

MOL HR Tutor

While AI is set to revolutionise HR, current teams often lack the skills needed to face the future of HR, however, apprenticeships offer a solution. By integrating AI training into these programmes, you can develop a future-proofed HR team. Apprentices gain the skills to adapt to new technologies, while experienced staff benefit from their fresh perspectives.

How Total People prepares HR apprentices for the future of HR

Here at Total People, our HR apprenticeships go beyond the basics; they integrate AI training, preparing apprentices for the data-driven future of HR.

Coupled with mentorship from experienced professionals, this ensures you get well-rounded apprentices who can support your team with traditional HR tasks and emerging technologies, keeping your HR department future proofed.

Ready to develop a well-rounded HR team for the future? Contact Total People today to explore apprenticeship programmes.