SUPERVISING APPRENTICES
Despite initial teething problems, SQE 1 and SQE 2 results achieved by this trailblazing group currently stand at 8% higher than other candidates, indicating that efforts by early adopters to engage and support solicitor apprentices are paying off.
THE SUPERVISOR AND THE APPRENTICE
This relatively new route to qualification has been the subject of much debate and speculation since its inception, with many firms realising that established junior lawyer procedures did not adequately support this unique group's needs.
As apprentices enter the high-pressured and competitive legal sector straight from school, their interpersonal skills may be less developed than trainees who acquire these skills at university.
This skills gap, coupled with a lack of buy-in from leadership teams, as well as a deficit in supervisory skills, has contributed to challenges that include:
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Apprentices struggling to manage their workload with study responsibilities
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Mismatches in work allocated and the required apprentice competencies, due to a lack of collaboration between the supervisor, apprentice and training provider
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Lack of parity with trainee cohorts, leading to apprentices feeling under-recognised and undervalued
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A wider firm knowledge gap about the apprenticeship route, resulting in a lack of diverse work exposure and experience
CREATING A WIN-WIN DYNAMIC
At Leading Minds we're fortunate to have had experience partnering with numerous early adopters of legal apprenticeships, supporting both their apprentices and supervisors to establish effective working relationships, and the firms at large to optimise their ROI on this vital leadership pipeline.
Our apprentice-supervisor training is designed to increase engagement, retention and mental health risk management by providing your supervisors with practical and specific training on effective work allocation, briefing, monitoring, feedback delivery and mental health awareness skills for this unique group.