Potential Learnership Candidates: How to Handpick Employees.
Consider individual contexts when selecting employees for Learning Paths.
Who are the Best Learnership Candidates?
The best learnership candidates are motivated individuals eager to learn and grow within your industry.
They demonstrate a strong work ethic, adaptability, and a willingness to take on challenges.
Finding Employed Learnership Candidates
Look for candidates who align with your company’s values and show potential for long-term commitment and development.
Train your employees well enough to leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.
Sir Richard Branson
In some companies, potential learners are identified through a process of self-targeting – i.e. they make the choice to be on the learnership training themselves.
Their managers might respond to their request to be on a Learnership with “You sure about this?
I heard it could be a real *****!” Potential Candidate says “Nah, I’m gonna nail this…only way I get your job!”
Some employees are told “We’ve selected people to be placed on a Learnership – you’re one of them!
It’s going to be a great experience and you’ll receive a qualification at the end.
If you have a problem with this, speak to your direct line manager.”
What that usually means: Competition’s killing us (we don’t understand why).
We need to beef up our BEE points and rebates! (Or HR gets retrenched first.)
That’s where you come in!
We don’t want any stories, your manager will deal with you.
Then there’s the visionary approach (which we L.O.V.E).
Manager to Potential Learnership Candidate
Persuading the Best Learnership Candidates to Train
So tell me, have any ideas about where you’d like to be 3 years from now?
Potential Candidate: Actually, I have!
I’m enjoying this department and would like to progress in it.
I’ve been wondering what I need to do?
Visionary Manager:
You know that the higher you want to climb, the more they look for qualifications?
PC: Yebo.
VM: So we need to look at what you can study.
We want to run a Learnership here, it’s a full qualification so we’re looking for committed people who want to progress.
PC: Ok. That sounds great. Will it be hard though, will I get time off?
Win Over Potential Learnership Candidates With This Pitch
VM: You’ll be released for training each month but there’ll be work that you’ll have to do at home.
Remember that we’re investing company time and costs. But at the end of the day – it’s you!
YOU OWN THIS QUALIFICATION. So if you want to progress and you’re willing to learn – I want you to go for it!
Skills development provides brilliant opportunities for everyone!
6 Steps to Select 18.1 Learnership Candidates
Organizations can take these steps to select their learnership candidates, ensuring both the effectiveness of the program and the development of suitable candidates.
Here are the key steps:
1. Identify Organizational Needs and Goals:
Assess the skills gaps and align the learnership program with strategic goals.
This ensures the learnership addresses specific needs (Davies & Farquharson, 2004) (SAJHRM).
2. Define Selection Criteria:
Establish clear criteria including qualifications, experience, and performance records.
This ensures learnership candidates have the foundational skills and attributes needed (Potgieter, 2003) (SAJHRM).
3. Communicate Program Benefits and Requirements:
Clearly explain the benefits and requirements of the learnership, including career advancement and skill development opportunities.
Transparency helps in gaining commitment from employees (Naidu, 2019) (SAJHRM).
4. Conduct Thorough Assessments:
Use interviews, performance reviews, and aptitude tests to evaluate candidates.
This helps identify those who meet the criteria and show potential for development (Kraak, 2008) (SAJHRM).
5. Involve Key Stakeholders:
Engage managers and other key stakeholders in the selection process to ensure buy-in and support for the chosen candidates.
This helps align the learnership with organizational needs and secures stakeholder investment in the program’s success (Gibb, 2014) (SAJHRM).
6. Provide Support and Resources:
Offer mentorship, coaching, and training resources to help candidates succeed.
Ensuring access to necessary resources increases the chances of successful completion and contribution to the organization (Kruss et al., 2012) (SAJHRM) (ERIC).
How to Select 18.2 Learnership Candidates
8 Steps to Select Unemployed Learnership Candidates
To select the best unemployed learnership candidates, organizations can follow these steps:
1. Define Requirements and Objectives:
Clearly outline the skills, qualifications, and attributes required for the learnership.
2. Develop a Selection Criteria:
Create a detailed selection rubric based on the defined requirements.
3. Advertise Widely:
Use multiple platforms to reach a diverse pool of candidates.
4. Screen Applications:
Shortlist candidates based on resumes and cover letters.
5. Conduct Assessments:
Use standardized tests to evaluate candidates’ skills and aptitude.
6. Interview Candidates:
Hold structured interviews to assess suitability and cultural fit.
7. Check References:
Verify candidates’ backgrounds and previous work experiences.
8. Make a Decision:
Use the gathered information to select the most promising candidates.
By following these steps, organizations can effectively select and support employees for learnership programs, ultimately leading to improved skills development and organizational growth.
Studies have shown that well-implemented learnerships contribute significantly to both individual and organizational success, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and stakeholder involvement in the selection process (Smith et al., 2005; Ebrahim & Pirttilä, 2019).
You can access the articles here (ERIC).
