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6 business benefits of employing apprentices

December 17, 2017 3:49 pm

It’s now been almost two months since the Government launched the Apprenticeship Levy and we’ve been inundated with companies looking to put their funds to good use by setting up apprenticeship programmes. But if you’re still not convinced that starting an apprenticeship programme in your organisation is a good thing, even though you could claim back thousands from your digital levy account, we’ve listed just a few of the benefits that employing apprentices can bring to your business below.

 

They’re good for business

That’s right. If you care about you bottom line, which let’s be honest, every organisation does, it’s worth noting that according to the UK Government, apprentices earn businesses an additional £18 billion a year. That’s an average of £214 per apprentice per week.

 

They’re good for your reputation

A recent study found that companies offering apprenticeships were perceived by two-thirds of the public as contributing to society and providing opportunities for young people, with five million consumers more likely to make a purchase from an apprentice employer. One in four consumers say they would go as far as paying more for goods and services offered by companies that employ apprentices.

 

They plug skills gaps and help to future-proof your organisation

It’s no secret that here in the UK, we have a shortage of technical and scientific minds. If your organisation relies on these skills, you’ll know that filling a vacancy can take months. Not only that, you’ll need to pay a salary way above the market rate if you want to keep hold of those valuable employees and ensure they’re not scooped up by a competitor. Using apprentices and training these skills from scratch ensures you’ll always have the skills you need on tap. By showing your apprentices the career path that lies ahead for them, you can also maximise retention.

 

They improve workforce engagement

A few enthusiastic newcomers that are eager to learn, prove themselves and build their careers can have a big impact on the culture of your organisation. According to a recent report, 92% of companies who employ an apprentice believe apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce. That in turn leads to lower attrition rates which means increased productivity and lower costs to the business.

 

They help build new leadership skills throughout your organisation

Buddying up your apprentices with mentors to learn the ropes gives non-management employees a taste of what it feels like to take responsibility for a more junior member of the team. It helps existing employees gain perspective on their own role and gain clarity on their future career path.

 

They can make an organisation more agile, more innovative and more competitive

There’s no shying away from the fact that as we get older, we lose some of our competitive edge and we can become out of touch with the latest trends and technologies. Ambitious, young apprentices however, don’t have the same problem. They’re not bogged down with office politics and haven’t had time to build a “this is the way we’ve always done it” mentality. Give your apprentices the opportunity and they’ll bring fresh thinking into your workplace and that can only be a good thing.

 

Of course, there’s far more benefits to employing apprentices than we can list here. If you would like to learn more about apprentices and how to implement an apprenticeship programme in your organisation, visit our   and employment pages and talk to a member of our team today on 020 3651 4747.