5 min read 2nd Feb 2026
For National Apprenticeship Week, we are asking an important question: what turns an apprentice into a confident, self-starting employee?
Let’s start by stepping into their shoes.
The Quiet First Month Most Apprentices Experience
You are an apprentice, and you have just finished your first month. You are sitting in a meeting with your notebook open. There is a question half-written on the page, but you do not ask it. You close your notebook instead.
You have questions you are on the verge of asking, but you keep holding them back. That voice in your head tells you these are things you should already know.
What will your manager think? That you were not listening? That you are not suited to the role?
You have also noticed how quiet you have been in meetings. You have ideas, but something in the back of your mind is stopping you from speaking up. So you stay silent and hope confidence will come with time.
Creating the Conditions for Confidence
Now let’s turn this scenario on its head.
You are the manager.
How would you encourage this apprentice to start speaking up? Would you focus on changing their behaviour, or would you look more closely at the environment you are creating for them as a leader?
Stanley McChrystal, US Army General and leadership author, compares leadership to gardening. We cannot order plants to grow, but we can create the conditions that make growth possible.
In a garden, that means sunlight, water, and good soil. In leadership, it means clarity, time, psychological safety, and consistent feedback. When those are in place, confidence grows naturally. When they are missing, even the most capable apprentice can start to shrink back.
That is why it is worth asking yourself some honest questions.
How clear are my directions? Have I directly told them they can come to me with “basic” questions? Do they know when and how to raise uncertainties, for example during check-ins?
Am I really listening when they speak? When they share an idea in a meeting, do I acknowledge it in a way that shows I am taking it seriously?
What is my body language and tone communicating when they ask for help? Would they feel comfortable doing it again?
How constructive is my feedback? Is it specific enough for them to act on, rather than leaving them guessing?
How Communication Shapes Performance
Apprenticeships often focus heavily on technical skills. Yet with around 65% of apprentices staying with their company long-term, according to the National Apprenticeship Service, the way they are supported in their early months has lasting consequences.
This is not just about loyalty. It affects recruitment costs, productivity, internal promotion, and workplace culture. When apprentices feel confident early on, organisations benefit for years, not just months.
Strong communication skills do more than help apprentices perform well in their current role. They shape how people see themselves at work.
When someone learns early on that their questions are welcome, their ideas are valued, and their voice matters, they carry that belief forward. They become more resilient under pressure, more willing to take responsibility, and more confident in stepping up when it counts.
Today’s apprentice is often tomorrow’s manager. The habits you help them build now will influence how they lead others in the future.
If your company hires apprentices, or if you are considering it in the near future, we would love to hear from you. Tell us about the challenges you have faced, or the concerns you have as you think about bringing new talent into your organisation.
If giving feedback feels uncomfortable, you are not alone. It is one of the most common struggles we see in leaders at every level.
That is why our training is built around real teams, real situations, and real conversations. It is led by specialists with experience in senior boardroom roles and psychotherapy, and grounded in practical, everyday communication.
We are passionate about helping people communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact. And it shows.
Let’s talk.
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