Top 5 reasons to hire an apprentice

The first two quarters of the 20/21 academic year saw over 161,900 apprenticeships start¹. Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly popular way to bridge the skills gap in organisations and introduce young people into work.

So, if you’re looking to fill a gap in your team, here’s why you should consider hiring an apprentice.

Top 5 reasons to hire an apprentice

Plug your skills gap

During training, an apprentice is required to learn skills specific to the job role they will fulfil, alongside experienced members of staff. This provides the opportunity for invaluable knowledge to be passed onto new team members. Many apprenticeships even provide the opportunity for the organisation to choose any optional modules the apprentice undertakes. In fact, 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their own individual organization!²

Upskill workforce

Apprenticeships aren’t only for new employees; they are an effective way to upskill your existing workforce. Training providers can often deliver to large cohorts as well as individual learners. This is a great way to ensure your workforce have the best skills available to carry out their job effectively.

Improve moral and retention

Next, providing employees with the opportunity to upskill with makes them feel valued and envision their long-term development within the organisation. This improves moral within the workforce and contributes to the retention of staff.

Cost effective

Many apprenticeships in the UK are Government Funded, meaning companies can use the Apprenticeship Levy to cover the cost of training. Find out more here.

Improved productivity

Finally, apprentices are keen to learn new skills and get involved. A huge 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity³.

Cost

Ultimately, the salary of an apprentice must at least meet the National Minimum Wage requirements. Government funding is available via the Apprenticeship Levy to cover the cost of training and assessment for apprentices in England.

Incentives

When hiring an apprentice, you can apply for a one-off payment of £3000 per apprentice.

From 11^th January 2022, you will be able to apply for the payment of £3,000 for apprentices with an employment start date from 1^st October 2021 to 31^st January 2022. Applications for these start dates will close on 15 May 2022.

You must use your Apprenticeship Service Account to apply for the payment for each eligible apprentice.

Next Steps

Our team can help right from posting a new apprentice vacancy, right through to End Point Assessment. Get in touch today to discuss future-proofing your business.

References

1. House of Commons Library 2021, Apprenticeship Statistics for England, UK Parliament 2021, viewed 12th November 2021, <https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06113/>
2. Apprenticeships 2021, What are the benefits of hiring an apprentice?, HM Government 2021, viewed 12th November 2021 <https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employers/benefits-of-hiring-apprentice>
3. Apprenticeships 2021, What are the benefits of hiring an apprentice?, HM Government 2021, viewed 12th November 2021 <https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employers/benefits-of-hiring-apprentice>