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Apprenticeship and internship programs set in motion robust talent pipelines.

Seeking to introduce younger people to an industry or attract quality candidates to a profession they may not otherwise consider, many organizations are turning to creative apprenticeship and internship programs. The initiatives are most successful when they are truly customized to the company and position.

The talent development team at North Highland Consulting, for example, learned through experience that it should uniquely tailor apprenticeships. The management consulting services firm, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, recently embraced the concept of cognitive apprenticeships to address talent management shortages. "In the beginning, we did some work to create a template that could be used for any apprenticeship," says Natalie Hamlett, director of TD. "We quickly learned that it's very difficult to have a one-size-fits-all approach when the skill sets needed vary widely."

Pivoting to design more focused programs, North Highland's TD team launched two apprenticeships. The first addresses a need for a talent pipeline at the client lead level as well as a high attrition rate within North Highland Academy, which comprises early-career consultants. The six- to 12-month cognitive apprenticeship program creates a pipeline of talent from the academy to the company's Portfolio Group, which encompasses consultants specializing in account management and development for the existing client portfolio. Hamlett explains that the program pairs academy consultants (the apprentices) interested in the Portfolio Group career path with projects managed by experienced client leads, who serve as apprenticeship coaches. Coaches guide apprentices through social and formal learning as well as on-the-job experiences while focusing on core competencies.

The TD function collaborates with the Portfolio leadership team to coordinate the application process and pair apprentices with coaches, then monitors the program and coordinates learning opportunities. The apprenticeship expands the pipeline of talent into the Portfolio Group—so far maintaining a 75 percent retention rate within the company's former Portfolio apprentice cohorts.

In a separate undertaking, North Highland debuted the Agile Team Coach Apprenticeship program. "Through a multifaceted approach involving strategic partnerships, curriculum development, stakeholder engagement, and resource allocation, the implementation of the \[apprenticeship\] was designed to foster skill development, enhance organizational capabilities, and drive agile transformation initiatives effectively," Hamlett explains. The program "consistently receives accolades from the apprentices."

From zero to employee

Erie Insurance, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, leverages apprentices to fill positions and attract diverse candidates. Via the First Notice of Loss program, the insurer hires apprentices as part-time, temporary employees, explains Heidi Belczyk, instructional design manager. The initiative provides job-specific training in partnership with the company's HR and diversity, equity, and inclusion departments as well as its affinity networks.

"Erie leverages local community relationships to identify candidates for the apprentice program with groups such as Erie County Community College and area high schools. These partners assist Erie in expanding and increasing diversity within the pool of candidates considered for future career opportunities," Belczyk says.

Erie's talent team aims to convert apprentices into full-time staff. "In our 2023 pilot, we hired six apprentices and converted three of these individuals into full-time roles," Belczyk adds. The company plans to hire additional apprentices this summer.

Erie complements its apprenticeship program with an internship initiative, the Future Focus Intern program, which prioritizes inclusive and equitable recruitment and raises awareness among traditionally underrepresented communities. "We look to convert as many of our eligible interns as we can from each program into full-time roles, along with providing them the opportunity to gain professional experience in a competitive environment in a growing industry," Belczyk notes.

The program spurred substantial growth in the number of intern offerings enterprise-wide, across a variety of specializations, and continues to see conversions from interns into full-time roles. The project "has continually been named to the Rising Insurance Star Executive list of the insurance industry's 50 best internship programs," Belczyk points out. "We implement ideas for improvement wherever and whenever we can to maintain the program's integrity and collaborative nature."

Training with incentives

Apprenticeship programs can be particularly effective at small companies, where it may be difficult to identify candidates for specialized positions. When Thomas Automotive in Bedford, Pennsylvania, encountered a critical lack of experienced automotive technicians, the 250-employee company shifted its training internally rather than wait for externally trained candidates.

"With the shortage of technicians and the skills gap faced from entry-level technicians, we needed an action plan," explains Keith Kuckenbrod, director of talent management. "We started doing a bit of advocacy work by attending high school, and even middle school, job fairs and ultimately developed an automotive technician training scholarship with a heavy training component."

Each apprentice receives $1,000 in compensation; $2,500 toward purchasing a starting tool set; a one-year mentorship with a master service technician; and full-time employment postgraduation.

"Once we have selected our scholarship recipients, TD sets them up with an individualized training program that addresses the competencies of the job and systems training, and \[TD\] partners with our manufacturers to set them on their technician training paths within our brands as well," Kuckenbrod describes. "We ensure the training plans are being utilized by our managers and that our new team members feel confident and competent in their roles."

Since implementing the apprenticeship, Thomas Automotive has awarded seven scholarships to apprentices; six are still with the company and progressing to higher-level technicians. The company has noted decreased time to hire and "an increase in productivity compared to other entry-level technicians," Kuckenbrod says. "Our TD team has been extremely impressed with the results based on overall productivity, but more importantly, team member feedback from the rest of the service team."

Passing down experience

At Tusas Engine Industries (TEI) in Turkey, the TD team recently implemented the Candidate Engineer Internship program. The 3,500-employee aerospace engine manufacturer and design center represents a niche field: "It's difficult to find candidates who have experience or knowledge in the aviation engines sector," explains Yeliz Cetinkaya, vice president of HR and administrative affairs.

The TD team now recruits interns by identifying high-potential assistant engineers and training them in part-time positions while they are in their final year of college. The team analyzes applications, conducts interviews, onboards candidates, and integrates them into the technical training structure, says Cetinkaya.

In seeking candidates, "we conduct interviews with department managers and the HR team that assess both technical and soft skills," Cetinkaya states. "At the end of the program, candidate engineers provide a presentation on what they learned."

The program connects TEI with "the right talent," says Cetinkaya. "The assistant engineers are hired as junior full-time engineers after successfully passing comprehensive technical assessments, intensive training, and working on projects for up to 11 months."

During the past year, 219 candidates joined the program, and the company hired 60 percent of them full time after completing the internship. Employees state that TEI is "reminiscent of an academy where a wide range of learning opportunities, with technical mentoring and trainings, are provided," says Cetinkaya, "and that colleagues are a great source of passed-down experience."