Why should my business take on Apprentices or get involved in Apprenticeship training?

Employers taking part in a recent research project about the cost of Apprenticeship training identified a wide range of benefits from Apprenticeship training. While such qualitative assessments of benefits are difficult to value they are nonetheless real and are the fundamental reason why employers were prepared to invest in Apprenticeship training.

The benefits these businesses identified included the following:

1. Apprenticeships allow the business to secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities that the business required and which are often not available on the external job market;
2. Apprenticeships help secure a supply of skilled young recruits – especially important for the replacement of an ageing workforce;
3. Even if external recruitment was possible, Apprenticeships are less expensive to recruit and train than experienced workers hired on the external labour market because of high recruitment costs plus the costs of induction and any necessary training;
4. Apprenticeships contribute to a pool of skilled and certificated employees for the sector from which a company might recruit in the future;
5. They ensure that the supply-chain (i.e. sub-contractors) have a sufficiently skilled workforce;
6. Apprentices tend to stay with the organisation and labour turnover is lower;
7. Apprentices provide a cadre of employees from which to future managers could be selected;
8. Apprenticeship training could increase interest in training amongst other employees;
9. Apprenticeships demonstrate company’s commitment to the employee;
10. Apprenticeships are more practical and job-related than other forms of learning;
11. Apprentices can bring new ideas and innovation to the business;
12. A good Apprenticeship scheme could be reflected in an enhanced reputation for the business both within the industry and in the local community.

Extract from: The Net Benefit to Employer Investment in Apprenticeship Training, A Report for the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network by Chris Hasluck.