Member Article

Five ways an apprentice can benefit your business

By Malcolm Armstrong, Chairman of Northumbria Learning Providers - an influential body of north east training providers.

Not a week goes by lately when you don’t see apprenticeships, and their form and value, being discussed and debated in the media.

The latest in a long line of inquiries into apprenticeships has just been released by the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. It has called for an “overarching government strategy and clear purpose for the apprenticeship programme,” along with a “formal” definition of apprenticeship. We welcome any reform that will ensure apprenticeships are improved for employers and learners.

Cutting through all the headlines though - we hear, firsthand, from employers and young people every day that are reaping the benefits of apprenticeships.

Despite the gloomy economic climate, there’s never been a better time to recruit an apprentice, and firms that do report real benefits.

I thought I would share my five top reasons for recommending an apprentice. These are not just my thoughts – these are what the employers we have worked with over the last 25 years tell us about why apprenticeships work for them.

1. By training an apprentice from a young age you end up with a qualified employee, with no bad habits, that you can trust to do things your way.

2. Apprenticeships originally came about as a way of ensuring skills are handed down from generation to generation. The same principal still applies today - apprentices help secure a supply of skills and expertise within your business – which is especially important if you have an ageing workforce.

3. In my experience of running a training company for many years - apprentices tend to stay with an organisation once training is complete so staff turnover tends to be lower.

4. It might be a bit of a cliché but young people do tend to bring new ideas and enthusiasm to a business and this can create innovation and a positive affect on the rest of your workforce.

5. They can save you money on recruitment and training and there are grants available to recruit apprentices in many cases. Although I wouldn’t recommend taking on apprentice for this reason alone - there is no denying that apprentices are less expensive to recruit and train than experienced workers hired on the labour market.

For more information about apprenticeship providers in the north east visit www.northumbrialp.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jill Farmer (Dobson) .