5 good reasons it’s never been a better time to hire an apprentice

17 March 2016 -

The director of the National Apprenticeship Service reveals why your business should be taking on apprentices

Guest blogger Sue Husband

The ninth National Apprenticeship Week celebrates apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, business and the wider economy.

‘Rise to the Top!’ is the overarching theme for this year, capturing the way in which apprenticeships can help both individuals and businesses achieve their ambitions.

Hundreds of organisations, including employers, learning providers, colleges and schools support the week by hosting a wide range of activities in which apprentices will play an important role.

In 2015, businesses pledged 23,000 apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week, an increase from 20,000 in the previous year. This year even more businesses will be encouraged to share their pledges for apprenticeships and traineeships using our online Pledge-o-meter.

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service, shares five compelling business reasons why there has never been a better time to take on an apprentice or trainee.

1. Apprentices deliver for employers large and small

Apprenticeships deliver for a whole range of industries, from advertising to administration and from environmental engineering to the legal sector.

Almost nine out of ten apprentice employers tell us that apprenticeships deliver. Currently apprenticeships are available in 1,500 job roles in more than 170 industries.

There are now more than 75 higher and degree apprenticeships available, with more in development, including foundation degrees, HNDs and full honours degrees.

Apprenticeships are the new work-based route into professions that have traditionally been the preserve of graduates.

2. Increase productivity

As well as developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce, apprenticeships can also boost an organisation’s productivity by an average of £214 per week, making them very good for business.

In addition, 89% of employers report that apprenticeships have helped their business improve the quality of their product or service.

3. Grow your own talent

Apprenticeships offer employers a cost-effective way to grow their own talent, in line with their workforce needs.

Seven in ten apprentices stay with the same employer after completing their training, with nearly a quarter (23%) of apprentices promoted within just 12 months of finishing their apprenticeship.

With the introduction of higher apprenticeships, businesses can now train more of their employees in the high-level industry-specific skills that are critical for business growth.

Employers recognise the commercial benefit of apprentices, telling us that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.

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Employers can also offer traineeships - 94% consider traineeships an effective way of helping young people become ‘work ready’, increasing their chances of finding paid jobs and apprenticeships.

Funded by the government, traineeships are providing the work preparation, work experience and training, maths and English skills a young person needs to get an apprenticeship or a job.

4. Fresh perspectives and digital skills

Apprentices bring creativity, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective to any organisation; they come with energy and ideas, actively contributing to an organisation’s business development.

And satisfaction levels are high - 89% of apprentices cited satisfaction with their chosen apprenticeship.

And in this fast moving digital world, employers are finding that offering apprenticeships can fill a digital skills gap in their organisation, with digitally ‘savvy’ minds helping them stay on top of the digital trends that will benefit their business.

5. Leading the way in world class standards

Employer Trailblazers are leading the way in developing and implementing new world class standards for apprenticeships in the UK, in a wide variety of occupations from software design, to engineering, financial services and law.

Currently more than 1,300 employers – from large corporations such as IBM, BAE, PwC, Sky and ITV to SMEs - are collaborating to make the new standards the quality benchmark for apprenticeships.

During the 2015 National Apprenticeship Week 200 more businesses joined the Trailblazer programme. And we expect more to come on board in 2016.