How employer branding can help you find trainees

You want to find new trainees? You're not alone! According to the German Federal Employment Agency, hundreds of thousands of positions have been unfilled in recent years. The hospitality, transport and construction industries in particular have problems finding trainees. 

There are some measures you can take. For example, you can make the search for an apprentice easier with a structured Employer Branding Process significant. In this article, we would like to show you how to be successful with effective employer branding. In cooperation with a Content agency you can develop a strategy that works in the long term and attracts new trainees.

Reasons for the shortage of trainees

• The Corona pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works for employers. Many companies have had to fear for their existence. Many trainee positions have not been filled in the last two years. But now everyone is looking for trainees at the same time.
• Demographic change is in full swing. There are significantly fewer young workers joining the workforce than in the past.
• Many more school leavers are studying. The increasing number of students automatically leads to fewer young people doing an apprenticeship.
• There is a shortage of apprentices, especially in rural areas. The lower number of apprentices in rural areas means that vocational schools are closing. But that reduces the number of potential apprentices in these places even further.
• But it is not only due to a lack of trainees. There is another reason why many positions remain unfilled. Companies do not consider "today's youth" to be suitable. Applicants are rejected by the dozen, and many do not find a training position at all.

What is important to trainees today

If you've been in business with your company for many years, you have certain structures in place. However, as the world of young people has changed rapidly in recent years, you can no longer count on being attractive to potential employees. So here are some points that today's trainees often care about.

• The Work Life Balance
• No dress code
• Flat hierarchies and loose structures
• Voice
• Respect for their achievements

This accommodation for younger employees can be a transition for your company. In some industries, not all points are feasible or sensible. Nevertheless, it's worth at least thinking about the measures.

Finding trainees with successful employer branding

Employer branding has one important goal: to appear as an attractive employer brand to potential applicants. In order to attract young talent, it is no longer enough to place job ads and wait. Instead, an employer branding strategy is needed.

Employer branding targets potential applicants and is particularly important for the young target group of apprentices. They have little experience on the job market and are finding out about potential employers for the first time. Therefore, the first impression is crucial.

For example, teenagers and young adults looking for an apprenticeship ask themselves the following:

• Is your company "cool", i.e. laid back?
• Will I really be integrated there?
• Does the work look like fun?
• Do I have enough free time?
• Have there been trainees there before and how did they like it?

To build an employer brand that will win over trainees, you need to take some employer branding steps. The trainee search will be much easier if applicants can already answer most of their questions during the research. With high-quality content, you control how positive these answers turn out to be.

Sensible employer branding measures for your trainee search

If you want to take your apprentice search to the next level, the following employer branding ideas are must-haves:

• Videos or testimonials from employees talking about everyday work life
• Job ads directly on your website
• Comprehensive information and valuable content about you as an employer on your website
• Entries in the usual job portals

In addition to all these measures, however, there is one thing that is indispensable: satisfied employees.

Because if your existing employees don't like it at the company, word gets around. That's how you scare off potential applicants. This applies to small businesses just as much as it does to large companies. 

As an electrician in the village, you won't get any applications at all with dissatisfied employees, because everyone talks to each other there anyway and you will fall into disrepute as an employer. As a medium-sized and large company, bad ratings on job portals will be your undoing.

That's why internal employer branding is the basis. Then pursue your goals in collaboration with an employer branding agency. That way, you're guaranteed success with your apprentice search.

Our tips for the trainee search

• Be open to the new generation. Give young people a chance, and you may be surprised. Society has always changed and companies have to grow with it. This is the only way to remain an attractive employer in the future.
• Position yourself as an employer brand on the labor market. Because the days when you had the power as an employer are over. The fewer trainees there are, the more important it is for you to position yourself as an attractive employer.
• Don't just communicate through job ads. There are many ways to show what makes you special as an employer. Videos, social media channels and your website are perfect.