Coaching That Connects: How Shows Coaching Powers the Future of Apprenticeship Mentorship
July 29, 2025
When it comes to youth apprenticeship success, technical training is only part of the equation. The real magic happens when mentors and apprentices build meaningful, trusting relationships—and no one understands that better than Dan Shows and Lori Shows of Shows Coaching.
As executive coaches, leadership development experts, and longtime champions of emotional intelligence in the workplace, the Shows Coaching team brings decades of real-world wisdom to the Career WayZ Strong Start Mentoring Workshop. Their presence ensures that mentorship isn’t just another box to check—it becomes a strategic advantage for both companies and apprentices.
“Through our mentorship workshops, we accelerate engagement that boosts apprenticeship confidence, enhances retention, and builds clarity between apprentices and companies.” — Lori Shows, Shows Coaching
That clarity is no accident. Lori and Dan have carefully designed their approach to help participants explore how people learn, communicate, and process challenges differently. Their sessions create safe, judgment-free spaces where new hires and seasoned professionals can meet as equals—with openness, intention, and curiosity.
One recent workshop participant reflected: “In just three hours, I learned more about how to communicate with my mentor than I did in the past year on the job.”
And the feedback from employers is equally powerful.
“By investing in their workforce from day one,” Lori explains, “Companies unlock potential, spark innovation, build loyalty, and fuel consistent growth.”
One of the key outcomes of Strong Start is shifting the mindset of all participants—supervisors included. As Dan and Lori explain, “Our supervisors are constantly responding about how they were thrown in the ‘deep end of the pool’ and how transformative this would have been for them decades ago.” The feedback has been clear: mentoring is a learned skill, and with support, it can become a defining strength of a workplace.
They also emphasize the need for balance and mutual readiness: “Our future demands a win/win…meaning the supervisors need to know the nuances of this next generation and the apprentices need to be prepared to walk in with as much clarity and confidence to add value and find their place on the team.”
From Fortune 500 firms to regional manufacturers, Shows Coaching has been helping leaders navigate change, align teams, and develop talent for years. But what makes their partnership with Career WayZ especially powerful is their ability to speak to both sides of the equation—mentors and mentees—with clarity and heart.
Cynthia Walker, Founder of Career WayZ, sums it up:
“Dan and Lori don’t just teach mentorship—they model it. They’ve helped us create workshops that feel human, relevant, and deeply impactful.”
In a world where workforce development often focuses on tools and tasks, Shows Coaching brings the people back to the center.
And that might just be the secret to apprenticeship programs that don’t just work—but thrive.
Schedule a consultation here: https://careerwayz.org/contact
Let’s build a workforce that is not only skilled, but confident, connected, and future-ready.
Follow Career WayZ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/career-wayz-missouri/
Follow Cynthia Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-walker-46b8087a/
