How to offer good guidance to apprentices

​​​​​​​Danny Maddan chats with Hugo Helms on the unique course he runs which trains apprentices in site etiquette

Toolkit Conduct founder Hugo Helms joins Danny Madden on The Roofing Show to talk about conduct for apprentices which offers advice on how apprentices should behave onsite. 

He says that there's no support currently provided to apprentices, which is why he runs the course Etiquettes for Apprentices. "Lads learn the theory in college and the practical bit on site, but if there are no family or friends to provide advice on how to behave, the apprentices are left alone on their own." 

Danny points out how some school leavers who have been expelled from school due to their behaviour tend to bring the same habits on site. "You cannot bring that into a building site. The tricky bit it making them understand that and moulding them." 

Helms says he put all his learnings from his apprenticeship day as a carpenter. "There's analysis of psychological studies to make apprentices understand why things operate the way they do with earning respect and responsibility. There's advice from business owners and other tradespeople." 

Lesson one of the course touches on a go getter's attitude. "You might get asked to sweep up for the tenth time that day, if you say no problem instead of rolling your eyes and leaning on the broom handle, you're going to show a bit of ambition." 

Lesson seven focuses on avoiding peer pressure. "There's a need to fit in when you're the youngest on site but with the need to fit in sometimes, you end up becoming a clone of all the other tradesmen and you get integrated into that culture. You're never really taught how to be exemplary." 

Helms also reveals that there's lessons on saving money, looking presentable, and using the appropriate language. 

"The course covers every possible hurdle an apprentice may come across. It also gives a bit of advice on why things happen that way and how to overcome them," he says. 

Listen to the full podcast here