A first-time employer's guide to hiring apprentices

Many organisations want to start an apprenticeship programme but are unsure where to begin. The process is straightforward once you know the stages. Here is how it usually runs.

1. Identify the right roles

Start with roles where structured on-the-job learning makes sense and where you expect to keep hiring. Customer service, sales support, operations and back-office functions are common starting points.

2. Register and choose the right scheme

Your establishment registers on the relevant apprenticeship portal. Depending on the roles and the candidates' qualifications, the programme may run under NAPS, NATS or, in Maharashtra, MAPS.

3. Source and match candidates

Finding motivated candidates whose qualifications match the role is where many programmes slow down. Mobilisation, counselling and screening make a real difference to retention.

4. Contracts and training plans

Each apprentice needs a registered contract, and the training plan for the programme is uploaded to the portal.

5. Ongoing compliance

Attendance, stipend records, returns and reimbursement claims continue every month. This is the part that most often falls behind when it is handled alongside other work.

EduMaan manages this end to end, from registration and candidate sourcing to monthly filings, so your team can focus on training and supervising apprentices.