Should I hire an apprentice?
As we are now in the final countdown to the inaugural Asian Apprenticeship Awards in Birmingham next week (so excited about this), I thought I would shine a light on apprenticeships. I may do a couple of articles on this so let me know if you want me to cover anything specific.
You may well have already thought of adding an apprentice to your team but not yet taken the step. If this is the case, you are far from alone in this. So, if I may, I would like to highlight some of the benefits to you and I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have about hiring an apprentice (just ask away in the comments section below)
Benefits to the business
For me, the biggest thing is that apprentices are in essence a “blank canvas”, joining your team with a view to learning to work your way. With this in mind it’s unlikely that you will be faced with having to overcome bad habits or having to deal with the “well I do it this way and I will continue doing it this way” mentality. Hopefully making it easier to mould your team to work to your company ethos and helping to creating a strong team work ethic.
Many companies that hire apprentices actually see them go on to become full time employees once they have completed their training, often they also become long serving as the loyalty created by having been provided with the opportunity to learn, grow and develop really helps raise the “employee buy in” that so many employers are seeking to achieve.
It is also worth noting the enthusiasm that apprentices can bring to a team. They aren't just working for a business to earn their pay cheque, they have made a conscious choice to learn new skills and become an important member of a team and develop their careers.
The Benefits to Young People
Alongside the benefits spoken about above, apprenticeships are a huge benefit to the person you choose to hire as you are providing them an opportunity that they may not otherwise get. Do you remember when you first started applying for jobs and just wanted someone to give you the opportunity to prove yourself? Being recruited in this way allows these individuals to put their foot on the first rung of the career ladder that they would like to climb.
Also importantly, apprenticeships help give young people the confidence they need to believe in their own ability, the guidance you provide as their employer can really help them to excel and grow as both a person and an employee.
In addition to the practical experience they are gaining in the work place and the benefits to their soft skills, apprenticeships provide a recognised qualification in the sector they are in. And these qualifications can be delivered at a variety of levels. The higher level advanced apprenticeships provide degree level equivalents which with the rise in University fees are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
Government Incentives
Thanks to the strong support given to the apprenticeship programme by the UK government there are also financial incentives for employers (click here for more information). For those of you that are wondering about the upcoming levy and how it all works I have a fantastic brochure that I can share with you that may help. Feel free to drop me a PM with your email address and I will send you a copy electronically. If you are attending the Asian Apprenticeship Awards on Thursday – come and say hello.