It's a famous quote attributed to either United States' Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, or a less well-known Chinese philosopher, depending on who you believe. Whoever said it was making the point that the learner who is involved and engaged in their education is much more likely to take on board what they are being taught. Involving a learner in their education is about engaging with them in a meaningful and productive way. And engagement with learners can happen on different levels, too. In training and education, we talk about behavioural, emotional and cognitive types of engagement. What do these mean? Let's take a look: Behavioural engagement - this is about behaviours that learners show during their education or training, such as completing assignments on time or staying focused during tutorial sessions. Emotional engagement - the emotional investment of the learner. How motivated and curious are they, and how much are they enjoying their apprenticeship? Cognitive engagement - how much mental effort are they putting into their learning? Consider, for example, how your apprentice performs on critical thinking, problem solving and applying their knowledge 'on-the-job'. All three are interconnected. We know that apprentices, for example, who are behaviourally engaged are more likely to be cognitively engaged, and feeling good emotionally can motivate them to participate more actively. This is why effective training providers will always strive to create learning experiences that address all three, fostering a more involving, positive learning environment. They know that a failure to do so would risk non-completions and lost funding. First and foremost, caring training providers and employers know it is the right thing to do because strong engagement promotes positive wellbeing for the learner, too. So, how do you create such an engaging work environment for apprentices?
Recently, OneFile spoke to apprentices, training providers and employers in a series of surveys to find out what needs to happen to help learners complete their apprenticeships. Too few learners complete their apprenticeships. Nearly one in two drop out of their programme before completion, and we wanted to find out why. Our findings from those surveys have helped us to create 10 tops tips to help you as an employer or training provider enhance your apprenticeship management, so your apprentices feel more involved and more engaged. Here they are:
1. Personalised support - offer tailored guidance and mentoring based on each apprentice's individual needs and goals, giving them regular feedback and support to stay motivated and on track. Also, consider offering flexible working arrangements or remote work options where appropriate. "Make employers let you study at home where it's more comfortable," said one apprentice in our survey of of learners with the Association of Apprentices (AoA). Or even better, show employers the benefits of flexible work arrangements!
2. Clear communication - establish open and transparent communication channels with your apprentices and provide clear expectations and guidelines for their roles and responsibilities, on and off the job. In our survey of learners with AoA, some 43% admitted to feeling stressed or anxious because they didn't completely understand what was required of them in their work. Better communication would reduce this percentage.
3. Meaningful, relevant work - ensure your apprentices are involved in suitable, meaningful and challenging work that aligns with their apprenticeship and career aspirations. Wherever possible, give them opportunities to take on more responsibility. Off the job, your apprentices will be better engaged if they enjoy the learning. In our survey with AoA, nearly 40% of apprentices said they wanted more enjoyable or engaging content and activities. Let's make our apprenticeships fun!
4. Continuous learning and development - give your learners plenty of time to acquire new skills and knowledge, including their OTJ tasks, such as assignments. If you're an employer, encourage them to participate in workshops, conferences and other learning activities. When asked by OneFile for their views on the difficulties faced with apprenticeships, the most popular reply from employers was 'finding time for apprentices to complete off-the-job learning in work'. Yes, it can be tricky, but it is a critical - and mandatory - part of any apprenticeship. Let's prioritise making the time for our learners to learn.
5. Mentoring - pair your apprentices with experienced mentors who can provide guidance, support and industry insights. The need for mentoring at work was one of the biggest findings from across our surveys this year. When OneFile surveyed employers, it gave them a multiple choice of options for how to improve apprenticeship completion rates. Having a mentor who had been through the same process as the learner scored highest, at 42%.
6. Recognition and rewards - acknowledge and reward your apprentices for their achievements and contributions. OneFile asked apprenticeship training providers which tools they used to support the wellbeing of their learners. Top of the list was 'Recognition, such as awards after appraisals, shout-outs on social media or making nominations for award schemes. Never underestimate the power of praise.
7. Feedback and evaluation - regularly evaluate your apprentices' progress and provide constructive feedback. Use feedback to identify areas for improvement and provide targeted support. "It would be beneficial when the school holidays come around for employers to check in with their apprentice/s and set direct activities which meet the OTJ requirements to ensure the minimum hours are still being met," said an apprentice in education, in our learner survey. That regular employer-employee engagement is vital to keeping the apprenticeship on track.
8. Networking opportunities - connect apprentices with industry professionals and potential employers. Encourage them to attend industry events and conferences. When OneFile interviewed training providers for a survey on how they encouraged positive wellbeing, a key suggestion was 'encouraging apprentices to be part of communities important to them, such as events on topics of interest or involvement in diversity and inclusion networks.
9. Work-life balance - support your apprentices in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, encouraging them to take breaks and prioritise their well-being. Many learners interviewed as part of our survey with AoA said their apprenticeship had had an impact on their mental well-being, with 44% saying that it had harmed their work-life balance. Showing you care will help the learner to feel more involved and looked after.
10. Invest in good apprenticeship tech - software powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and data science can enable us to do three critical things to ensure our apprentices are engaged with their tutors and employers. It can: flag the warning signs when our apprentice is at risk at dropping out; keep the apprentice on track, with regular contact and opportunities to engage; and, tailor the learning experience to the apprentice's early needs. Talk to OneFile about our tools, including our brand new Engage platform.
By implementing these 10 tips, you can create a positive and supportive environment that involves your apprentices, fostering engagement and helping them to achieve their full potential. For more information about OneFile Engage, click here to learn more.
Onefile is the leading learner management platform that streamlines workflows, unlocks funding and enables education and training providers to achieve higher learner success rates, at pace and at scale.
Proud to be part of Harris Computer,
powering positive change.
.jpg?width=369&height=160&name=soc-ci-ukas-h-iso-9001-isoiec-27001-rgb-ezgif.com-small(3).jpg)
© 2025 Onefile Ltd is registered in England with company number 4404879. The registered office is: 6th Floor, Cornerblock, Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3HN. VAT Number 792825685 © Onefile Ltd, 2005-2024. All Rights Reserved.
