Are Gen Z’ers the perfect
apprentices?

When your company’s workload begins to pile up
and you need an extra pair of hands on a project, there are a few avenues you
can take. You can hire a freelancer, get in touch with a contractor, or spend
every waking moment working on things yourself (not a great option).

Recently, though, more and more businesses are
taking advantage of an underestimated option: apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for
businesses to gain productive, enthusiastic workers while also investing in
developing skilled employees. As well as having the financial benefit of low
staff costs, they provide a great source of energy and fresh ideas. The
government is also in full support, as the Apprenticeship Levy helps businesses
fund apprentices with the aim of supporting quality training with employers at
the centre.

If you’re looking to hire an apprentice, Gen Z
is your hunting ground: they make up the vast majority of apprenticeships
candidates today. Don’t be fooled into thinking they spend all their time glued
to their phones, though: Gen Z is a vein of untapped potential.

What is Gen
Z?

People often lump everyone under thirty in a
category called ‘Millennials’ but this isn’t technically correct.

Millennials are categorised as those born
between 1981 and 1994, making them 22-37 years of age today. This makes Gen Z
— those born after 1995 — the workforce of tomorrow, so it’s important you
know who they are and what drives them.

The benefits of hiring a Gen Z
apprentice

1. They’re
tech-savvy

Whereas Millennials grew up in the digital
age, Gen Z’ers were born into it. And while it might be tempting for some to
bellyache about them being glued to their smartphones, Gen Z’s technophilia
comes with a useful side-effect: they can easily wrap their heads around new technology.

For industries that are heavily rooted in
computing or digital technologies, Gen Z apprentices are able to integrate into
their role effortlessly.

So, whereas Brian from Accounting may not like
the new operating system, a Gen Z apprentice will learn it inside out.

2. They’re
masters of multitasking

When kids have grown up using streaming a
Youtube tutorial as they Facetime a friend while adding shopping to their
virtual basket, is it any surprise that they are skilled at multitasking?
Whether they are posting, commenting or swiping, Gen Z’ers have adapted to
using multiple platforms simultaneously.

This ingrained skill is adaptable to almost
any work environment, meaning you’ll have no trouble putting this to good use.
This can be as simple as taking detailed minutes in a meeting or as complex as
cross-platform data entry.

3. They have
a short attention span (yes, that’s a good thing)

Gen Z’ers are constantly absorbing
information, often in the blink of an eye. Spending their youth surrounded by
apps such as Snapchat and Instagram has made receiving constant updates the
norm, which has ultimately stunted their attention spans.

This has, however, given Gen Z’ers an
advantage when it comes to absorbing information. As they’re accustomed to
receiving a barrage of updates, Gen Z’ers have a knack for processing
information faster than other generations and are highly adaptable to change,
meaning they can absorb the barrage of updates in Monday’s meeting even when no
one else can.

4. They’re
entrepreneurial thinkers

Gen Z’ers have grown up in a world of
innovation, full of developing technology and connected to every corner of the
globe. They’ve seen what’s possible and want a piece of the action for
themselves.

This has resulted in a generation of young
adults who are starting their careers with an entrepreneurial head on their
shoulders. They are full of ideas – use them before someone else does!

Take your business into the next
generation

Gen Z has an advantage over older generations,
simply due to how they have been raised in the digital age. By being familiar
with new technology, expert multitaskers and full of fresh ideas they are in a
great position to become an asset to your business. Plus, as they are quick at
absorbing new information, they are ideal candidates for training courses
to help them develop further.

Ryan Latham, senior marketing executive for 3B Training,
has experienced first hand how businesses can benefit from hiring a Gen Z
apprentice.

“As a former apprentice myself I am definitely
on board with the system, it’s a great opportunity to get on the first step of
your career ladder.

We also have a Gen Z’er apprentice working under me in our marketing department
and she has been highly beneficial. She is highly tech-savvy and has actually
taught me a thing or two about newer social platforms.

She can complete tasks almost twice as fast as I can and to a great standard,
don’t write off the Gen Z generation!�