How apprenticeships can benefit your business

While a longer term investment than recruiting new staff, apprentices can offer a range of benefits to a business

With many sectors worrying how to overcome skills shortages, especially in technical areas like engineering, more and more companies are taking advantage of apprenticeships to develop experienced and loyal staff.

Attracting fresh ideas

Apprentices combine working for your company with relevant study, meaning you benefit from enthusiastic workers who are trained in the latest techniques and up to the minute thinking.

Customisable training

Apprenticeship schemes can be adapted to meet the needs of your business, ensuring that you develop a workforce which is trained in exactly the skills needed to support and develop your business. Blended learning is also becoming increasingly popular

Upskilling

Apprenticeships aren’t just a benefit for school leavers. Many of your existing staff could develop their skills by supporting apprenticeship schemes, adding mentoring and management experience to their talents by supporting apprentices.

Well rounded employees

As well as specialist skills for your business, apprentices will also have a solid grounding in English and Maths, as well as IT skills. Training can also often be provided on site, by using blended learning – lectures delivered by Skype, discussions through online learning platforms and so on, reducing the amount of time apprentices are away from your business.

The numbers don’t lie

Apprentices have been found to be up to 75% more cost effective than recruiting experienced staff, and over 90% of businesses have said they have benefited from taking part in apprenticeship schemes. Funding is also available for small and medium sized businesses that want to get involved.

70% of companies have also reported improvements in the goods and services that they offer, and two thirds reported boosts in staff morale as well. While vocational skills are often the primary goal of an apprenticeship scheme, apprentices shouldn’t be seen as purely a recruitment option for technical staff.

An apprenticeship can be seen as the first step on a fast track to a management position, with the benefit of having someone in a leadership role who is invested in your company.

To sum up, apprentices offer the chance to inject raw talent into your business, bringing in young people who can grow and develop alongside your company, introducing new ideas, helping to increase skills and improving staff morale and loyalty throughout the business. Some may even become the future leaders of the company.

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The British Institute of Recruiters is the Professional Body operating The Recruitment Certification Scheme

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