September is an exciting time: the new training year begins! This demands a lot from both those responsible in companies and the apprentices: other tasks are left behind, and important basic knowledge can quickly be lost. Digital support can relieve you and the apprentices in the first few weeks. Find out how this works with "Blended Onboarding" in this article using an example.
Onboarding new colleagues is always a challenge: after all, onboarding always means that the focus is shifted away from day-to-day business and towards knowledge transfer and support. For apprentices who come to companies now in September, the process is often even more intensive. Here, supervisors, team leaders, and HR managers have to start even earlier in the learning process than with experienced professionals.
The Challenge: Transferring a lot of knowledge in the shortest possible time
The goals of the first few weeks with the new apprentices are clear:
Clearly communicate the process of the next 2 to 3 years
Impart necessary basic knowledge about the company and important processes
Ensure a get-to-know-you period in order to integrate the apprentices quickly
… and still maintain a productive daily work routine.
Taken all together, this is a major time burden for those responsible – and a cognitive challenge for the apprentices, who have to acquire a great deal of knowledge in a short amount of time: from occupational safety and handling new tools to the names of many new people, all the way to the particularly important operation of the coffee machine! 😀
Those responsible and supervisors do not just have to convey all this knowledge: the apprentices must also understand it, process it, and have it ready at all times. This is the only way to quickly enable a smooth daily work routine.
Especially in the first few weeks, it is decided how quickly apprentices feel secure and can contribute productively. Structured onboarding reduces overwhelm, strengthens motivation, and prevents important basic knowledge from being lost or having to be explained multiple times.
The Solution: Digitally supported onboarding for apprentices
For onboarding to succeed quickly and sustainably, it is important that the learning process fits the target group. To do this, you must know your target group well: the biggest difference between experienced new employees and apprentices is often age: the average age of apprentices is around 20 years. This means that apprentices mostly belong to "Generation Z".
What characterizes Generation Z apprentices?
Digital Natives: Grown up with digital technologies.
Natural use of smartphones and tablets.
Experienced in dealing with digitally / online available knowledge.
tendency to reject print media like books and magazines
Communication via smartphones, clouds, apps, and social networks
Use these characteristics and habits to your advantage! From this, you can directly derive what onboarding for young apprentices should look like so that it is effective and motivating:
This is how you should design onboarding for apprentices
Focus on digital media, few print media like classic manuals
Knowledge available at any time (learning on demand)
Knowledge is flexibly available on mobile devices, for example, smartphone or tablet
Appropriate devices at the workplace are directly available
Flexible time allocation for learning directly at the workplace, alternatively set up learning times
Offer direct exchange with co-apprentices and contact with the instructors (Exciting on this topic: AUBI-Plus study on the wishes of apprentices regarding e-learning)
All of these points are met by an innovative learning concept called "Blended Onboarding".
Onboard apprentices with digital support using "Blended Onboarding"
You probably know the term "Blended Learning" from the field of further education: the combination of online and in-person learning. "Blended Onboarding" is directly based on this: the combination of learning content in an online course with personal live sessions.
Live sessions + Online course = Blended Onboarding
Onboarding based on the "Blended Onboarding" concept supports all goals for the first few weeks and meets the habits and expectations of young apprentices.
In Practice: Example online course for the onboarding of apprentices
Below you can see an online course on the blink.it learning platform, with which the "Blended Onboarding" concept was developed. The course certainly does not fit all training occupations, but it gives you a first idea for practical implementation:
Example of an accompanying online course for apprentices in the first days/weeks.
Clear structures in the onboarding course
The course is set up so that the content is released automatically one after the other. This makes the online course clearer for you and the apprentices and brings more structure into it. Recommendation: Plan the content by week if you have more than just a few pieces of basic content (Week 1: All content on topic 1 – Week 2: All content on topic 2, etc.) and create an onboarding plan using the guide "Blended Onboarding in Companies".
Quick integration through Q&A sessions
To turn the online course into blended onboarding, you also plan Q&A sessions on topics where questions are foreseeable or where additional personal support makes sense. In these cases, the online content serves as preparation so that the Q&A sessions run productively. Recommendation: Plan at least 15 minutes of Q&A session daily. Plan Q&A sessions with different contact persons and colleagues to strengthen the integration of the apprentices.
"Recycling" in online courses saves time!
In addition, you can "recycle" the content on the blink.it learning platform: Some information is certainly not only important for apprentices, but also for other new employees, interns, working students, and others. For example, safety topics or site plans. Recommendation: Set up a basic course as a template that contains all content that is important for all newcomers. Copy this basic course and add specific content. This saves you additional time and you can be sure that everyone in the company receives the same information. Only the welcome video should be created individually for each newcomer by you or the supervising person – this increases commitment right from the start. The easiest way is to create videos with a smartphone.
Conclusion: Save time and nerves when onboarding apprentices
Successful onboarding of apprentices combines digital structure with personal support, creating a secure entry into daily professional life.
Blended onboarding makes it possible to provide basic knowledge flexibly and in a reusable way, while live sessions create space for questions, exchange, and integration. This creates a clearly structured learning process that both relieves those responsible and provides guidance to apprentices.
Those who use digital learning formats in a targeted manner create transparency, commitment, and motivation right from the start, laying the foundation for successful training.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What is Blended Onboarding in the onboarding of apprentices?
Blended onboarding combines digital learning content in an online course with personal live sessions. Apprentices acquire basic knowledge flexibly at their own pace and use joint appointments for questions, exchange, and deeper understanding. This creates a structured and at the same time personal onboarding process.
Why is onboarding apprentices particularly challenging?
Apprentices have to absorb a great deal of new knowledge in a short time, from company processes and tools to social structures in the team. At the same time, companies must maintain daily business. Without a clear structure, this can quickly lead to overwhelm and repeated explanations.
How should digital onboarding for apprentices be structured?
Effective onboarding for apprentices relies on a clear structure, small learning units, and digital availability. Content should be accessible on mobile devices, released step-by-step, and supplemented by regular exchange formats such as Q&A sessions. This keeps the learning process clear and practical.
Why is e-learning particularly suitable for onboarding apprentices?
Apprentices mostly belong to Generation Z and are used to digital media. E-learning allows them to work through content flexibly, on mobile devices, and at their own pace. At the same time, information can be repeated at any time, which increases learning success and security in everyday work.
How does an online course in onboarding save time for companies?
Once created, content can be used again and again, for example for new apprentices or other new employees. Standard knowledge no longer needs to be explained multiple times, but is available centrally. Those responsible can therefore focus more on individual support and integration.
