Supercharge your business: The top 5 benefits of taking on an apprentice

Considering taking on an apprentice but not quite sure? We reveal some of the best benefits of welcoming an apprentice into your workplace.

Whether you’re in pharmacy or facilities, the greatest challenges across any sector remain the same. How can you boost productivity, increase innovation and secure a skilled workforce for the future? At Capital City College (CCC), we believe that apprenticeships represent a strong strategic investment in the future of both your company and the industry in which you operate.

The UK business landscape remains as competitive and dynamic as ever, with recruitment routes broadening beyond the traditional. At Apprenticeships+, our courses continue to grow in range and popularity, offering a unique combination of on-the-job training and theoretical learning that is tailored to the needs of a specific industry. Apprenticeships offer a number of benefits to employers that will strengthen your position in both the short and long term.

Address talent shortages

There is an undeniable skills gap affecting many sectors in the UK. Many employers struggle to find candidates with appropriate experience and training. Apprenticeships offer a direct solution as they allow you to effectively create your own talent. By identifying those with potential and helping them to build their skills, you’ll be able to support team members in developing the precise skills needed within your organisation or business.

While once associated mainly with skilled trades, apprentices have come a long way in recent years and now cover everything from Accounting to VFX. If you’re unsure what apprenticeships are on offer for your industry, take a look at our range of apprenticeship sectors.

Boost productivity

An apprentice can contribute to your team from the moment they start their course – driving increased performance at an exceptional value. Apprentices get involved with real projects in order to improve their practical skills and gain experience from more senior team members – but at the same time, they bring with them up-to-date knowledge of theory and best practice from their course sessions. Apprentices train for a specific role meaning that they are highly motivated to succeed, and the enthusiasm and fresh perspectives they bring can also have a positive effect on their mentors and colleagues. 

Apprentices learn on the job and many report that the hands-on style of learning enables them to retain new information more effectively which can also contribute to increased productivity. Government research has found that an impressive 78% of businesses noted increased productivity as a result of hiring apprentices and 74% of employers said apprenticeships improve the quality of their products or services.

Build loyalty and foster a culture of learning

Investing in apprenticeships shows that you are committed to the development and career progression of your workforce. This can go a long way in terms of supporting morale and building loyalty, which in turn reduces employee turnover and with it the costs of recruiting and training new staff members. 

Apprentices will be learning on the job and may naturally assess your existing systems and processes from a new perspective. Their questions and ideas have a value of their own and can help spark a wider interest in learning and development, especially given that apprentices rely on more experienced colleagues to share knowledge and act as mentors. By creating opportunities for support and interaction between team members, apprenticeships can help to build a more collaborative professional community that naturally drives improvement and innovation within your organisation.

By offering apprenticeships you are not simply filling a current vacancy, but building the next generation of dedicated employees who are invested in the company’s success.

Diversify your team

At Apprenticeships+, we’re always working to improve the accessibility of apprenticeships for underrepresented groups and further diversify the workforce. We know that businesses with greater diversity are more likely to outperform their less diverse peers. We also know that apprenticeships can attract a broader range of applicants than traditional recruitment methods. 

An apprentice may well be a school leaver, but they might also be a university graduate looking to enter the workforce, an experienced professional embarking on a career change, or simply an employee looking to improve their skills and training. Some apprentices come with an enthusiasm for innovation and new technology while others have existing transferable skills and experience to bring to the table. 

Save on training costs

Apprenticeships offer a cost-effective way to support the development of your workforce, and the costs for training an apprentice may already be covered thanks to the Apprenticeship Levy. All businesses with an annual pay bill in excess of £3 million contribute to the government’s Apprenticeship Levy and all employers, regardless of their pay bill, are entitled to draw from this centralised source of funds. 

Employers are also entitled to a further £1000 to support apprentices who are aged 16 to 18 aged 19 to 25 years old and have an Education, Health and Care plan. As an employer, you’ll be responsible for paying your apprentice’s wages, taking into account the minimum wage requirement for their age.

If you have staff that are interested in doing an apprenticeship, or if you are considering recruiting apprentices, Apprenticeships+ can help you navigate the process, starting with how to unlock funding to pay for it. All our apprenticeships include sustainability modules, so you can work towards net zero whilst your staff learn new skills.

Apprenticeships offer a wealth of immediate and long-lasting benefits to UK employers, from boosting productivity to future-proofing the workforce for both your company and your industry. Faced with a constantly evolving business landscape, apprenticeships provide a powerful tool for building a skilled, loyal, and diverse workforce. With guidance from Apprenticeships+, any UK business has the power to embrace apprenticeships and help shape the future of their industry.

If you’re an employer looking to fill a vacancy or upskill your team and need support with the apprenticeship process, we’d love to hear from you!

Share!