Something that worked for me is to hire more "mature" people. By mature, I'm meaning someone who's had time out in the workforce developing good work ethics and people skills. Mid 20's and over seems to be a good age.
Also, try to get someone who's had the pre-apprenticeship (electrical entry) course. In my opinion, if someone is willing to invest 9 months of their time and money to take the course, they are definitely serious about the trade.
