Tags – Why Hire an Apprentice
As an employer, you may have considered if hiring an apprentice or two is worth your effort.
The truth is, apprenticeships are a fantastic way to tackle skill shortages and help to upskill employees as well as introduce new faces and ideas into your business.
There is growing awareness now that apprenticeships are available across multiple industries and go way beyond traditional schemes in construction, manufacturing or engineering.
With hundreds of apprenticeships to choose from, you will need to find a training provider that meets your needs as an employer, combining work with study to gain specific knowledge.
Typically, apprenticeships are designed by a group of employers; so that it truly reflects the skills and behaviours the apprentice needs for a particular job role.
And actually, apprenticeships do not only help people develop valuable skills in their area of interest, but there are many advantages for employers too.
Here are 4 reasons why you should hire an apprentice and how it will benefit your business.
1. Increased Productivity
In a survey by the UK Government, it was found that 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity.
One reason being, hiring an apprentice means having an extra pair of hands in the workplace.
For example, more senior staff are able to delegate specific tasks, which means they have more time to tackle their main responsibilities.
Plus, low level tasks (that need to be completed) present a perfect learning opportunity for an apprentice. Remember, apprentices are not just coming to work each day just to get paid. They are coming to learn new skills and progress to build a successful career.
2. Develop your Team
In a LinkedIn survey, it was found that 94% of employees said they would stay with a company for longer if they invested into staff development.
Current employees can build skills in mentoring, training and management as they help to support your apprentice to gain the skills they need to get the job done.
And, these skills can then be supported by you as an employer, and current employees can benefit from turning this into a formal qualification and being promoted to team leader or manager.
In addition, you can use apprenticeship training to fill in any skill gaps in your business and boost employee motivation by investing in their development. There are apprenticeships from level 2 right through to level 7 (degree level), and they are designed by you as the employer which means they will directly reflect the skills and knowledge your business needs.
3. Fresh Perspective
Even though apprentices will not have any real workplace experience, they can offer a fresh perspective and new ideas that are valuable to growing your business.
Generally speaking, young people have strong technology skills which comes from using smart devices and social media from an early age – this knowledge can be used to build competitive advantage.
On the other hand, if your clients or customers are of a younger demographic, then hiring young apprentices can give you a better insight into your audience’s behaviours.
However, even if your clientele is older, young apprentices will come with new ideas and challenge practices, helping you get out of that “we’ve always done it this way” mindset and giving you the push to change and adapt processes.
4. Investing in the Future
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the UK economy.
However, apprenticeships can play an important role for recovery, because it helps businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills required to grow.
In a report from the Open University, 66% of employers who embraced apprenticeships during the pandemic were able to recover from the impact of COVID-19 a lot quicker.
Furthermore, hiring apprentices is the perfect way to give back to the economy and proves your business is helping to build a strong workforce for the future.
So not only can hiring an apprentice help drive the future economy, but benefit your business in the process.
Plus, consumers who learn you are investing in young people will be impressed by this and prefer to do business with you as you demonstrate a strong sense of social responsibility that other businesses do not.
The Bottom Line
Many employers are put off from hiring an apprentice as they believe it’s too costly.
But the reality is, apprentices often pay for themselves within a few years and it can improve your business’s bottom line by boosting productivity and bringing in a fresh perspective.
And thanks to government funding, the initial outlay of hiring an apprentice is much smaller than you may think – plus they are paid a reduced wage.
There’s never been a better time for you to shape the future of your workforce. Apprentices have untapped talent waiting to be built on, so secure their, and your future, by investing in training and development through apprenticeships.
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