Host an Etco apprentice to reduce your cost, risk and stress
Benefits of hosting
Etco inducted apprentices go through a comprehensive induction programme and can hit the ground running with tools, Safety Certification, TLC, and EWP certification.
Etco picks up the cost of annual leave, statutory holidays, sick leave, block course attendance, ACC levies, KiwiSaver and you receive a weekly invoice from us for the time the apprentice is working in your business.
We look after all the employment responsibilities.
Benefits of hosting include a reduction in your Costs, Risk, and Stress. We are happy to discuss these with you.
The ‘cost’ of hosting is much less than the ‘rate’ suggests. Our proprietary Cost vs Rate app can use figures from your business to demonstrate savings of tens of thousands of dollars from hosting over the duration of the apprenticeship.
If the relationship isn’t working, and like sometimes they don’t, we’ll find you a different apprentice.
If your work runs dry, you can send the apprentice back and we can find them a secondment with another host so their apprenticeship is not interrupted.
Apprentice support
Each host company is assigned an Etco Apprenticeship Coordinator, who is responsible for ensuring the host company’s needs are considered and all practical steps are taken to ensure an apprentice meets the requirements of their Skills training agreement and EWRB registration.
Our apprentices are supported by our registered electricians, and they have coordinators who are there to provide pastoral and technical support to apprentices, acting as a coach, mentor, guide and sometimes disciplinarian! They maintain regular contact with the apprentice, with at least four formal appraisals each year, as well as site visits, phone calls, emails and texts.
Our tutors are also electricians who have a passion for wanting trainees to get on top of the theoretical aspects of their apprenticeship. They link the theory to the practical experiences gained in the on-job environment you provide.
Switched-On
Etco has an employee support programme named Switched-On. Apprentices can contact them directly to get support or advice on personal matters such as relationships, health, mental health and budgeting. We have an escalation process built into the programme if an apprentice needs professional-level mental health support.
Apprentice placement
Apprentice placements are designed to be a win-win situation for the apprentice and their host company.
For the apprentice, the objective is to gain the necessary on-job experiences to fulfil the task competency requirements of their apprenticeship.
For the host company, the primary objective is to minimise risk and add value to the business.
- You won’t have to worry about all the usual employment-related and training issues because Etco takes care of them.
- You don’t need to make a commitment for the duration of the apprenticeship unless you choose to, which gives you greater flexibility and reduced risk.
- You will typically save thousands of dollars over the course of their training.
- And if, for any reason, they are not a good fit, that’s our problem, not yours. Just send them back and we’ll find you the ideal replacement.
The preferred minimum placement period is three months and all placements exceeding three months are reviewed every six months.
Quality commitment
Make the right decision for your business, by allowing Etco to manage your apprentice needs and we will provide you with quality recruits already screened for academic ability, aptitude and a can-do attitude. Our apprentices consistently achieve industry-leading results in exams and competitions throughout their apprenticeships.
After an initial industry induction training programme, covering statutory safety requirements, training in safe and efficient use of hand tool skills and basic theory, Etco apprentices are available for placement with approved host companies to gain the experience needed to fulfil the on-job requirements of their Skills Training Agreement.
Before placement with the host company, apprentices will have achieved an EWRB Limited Certificate for Trainees and undergone safety instruction in accordance with the Limited Certificate requirements. This includes Site Safe and EWP training. It may be necessary for apprentices to be released from time to time to undergo refresher training to ensure ongoing compliance with EWRB requirements.
Apprentices will also have received instruction under the requirements of the Health and Safety in Work Act 2015.
Requirements of hosting
If you want to register as an Etco host company and have an Etco apprentice in your business we will need to work through the following with you.
- We will need to jointly sign the Etco hosting agreement
- If your business has a current industry-recognised third-party accredited H&S quality system, we won’t need to dive into an evaluation of your H&S systems.
- If you do not have a third-party accredited system we will need to review and evaluate your H&S policies and procedures prior to placing an apprentice in your business.
- We will need to understand the breadth of activities your business carries out. You don’t need to have the full spectrum of exposures required by the apprenticeship as we can move apprentices to other hosts for periods to gain the exposure.