Apprenticeships are high on the government’s agenda to increase the quantity of apprenticeships in England to 3 million starts in 2020.
This is a crucial step to aid employers with quality technical and vocational training to reduce the skills gap within the workplace. Employers all around the UK are choosing to recruit apprentices, here are some of the reasons why.
- An increase in Production
Did you know that the average person completing an Apprenticeship boosts productivity to businesses by, on average, £214 per week? Apprentices are normally straight out of school or college and are very enthusiastic with a ready to learn attitude. 76% of employers who employ apprentices agree they make their workplace more productive*. - Cost effective
Training staff on the job is more cost effective than hiring staff that are more experienced.
There are a number of government funds and grants for employers who take on apprentices. In recent months there has been a lot of talk about apprenticeships levy. If you are a small business you can receive an allowance of £15,000 to train your apprentices and will not be obliged to pay the levy contribution but will continue to pay their Apprenticeship employer contributions. - Help fill skills gap
83% of employers who employ apprentices rely on their apprenticeship programme to provide the skilled workers they need for the future*. Apprentices can be full time or part time this gives you the opportunity to recruit based on your business needs. Although apprentices can be of any age, companies often struggle with an ageing workforce. As a result, younger apprentices are able to be trained on the job and often become long term employees. - Motivates existing workforce
92% of employers who employ apprentices believe that Apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce*. Apprentices can also increase the interest of training among existing employees in turn giving your company a healthy competitive edge. - Grow your business
According to the National Apprenticeships Service data, 80% of companies who invest in apprentices have reported a significant increase in employee growth in retention.
*Data compiled from National Statistic Apprenticeships