Why hire an apprentice?

Apprenticeships are a hot topic at the moment. With the Government’s long-term commitment to have 3 million apprentices in work places by 2020, the opportunity to strengthen and build your business has never been better. So, what does it mean for your business?

With more than 2 million apprentices currently working and training across 1,500 occupations and 170 sectors in businesses of all sizes, apprenticeships are a great way to get young people into the world of work in a way that benefits both you and them.

An Investment For The Future

At Griffin, we’re supporters of apprenticeship schemes and all their benefits. Having successfully recruited one apprentice, we’re now actively looking to gain a second to add to our growing team.
Rather than seeing apprenticeships as a way to get more for less, we view them as providing solid, on-the-job training. With the right people to share our vision, they help us grow as a business while investing in people.

An Incentive For Learning

It’s important to remember that an apprenticeship is a real job. Lasting between 12 months to 5 years, it enables young people to ‘learn as they earn’. This gives them the guarantee of a regular income while gaining a wealth of on-the-job and off-the-job training, including weekly stints with a training provider.

In return for providing and developing the transferable skills that are key to your business success, the financial advantages of recruiting an apprentice can also be hugely beneficial.

Besides the appeal of a low starting wage, if your business is eligible and your apprentice is under 25, there is a £1,500 grant available with the possibility that the Government will contribute to their training costs. Together, the apprenticeship scheme provides some big incentives to help you increase your workforce organically.

Learning From Experience

Of course, an apprentice can only offer your business so much. While there are obvious benefits to their presence on the payroll, it’s important to have an experienced workforce around that they can learn from.

A fresh apprentice will be keen and ambitious and someone who can learn from your qualified and experienced staff. Many will have an assigned mentor for the length of their apprenticeship to gain specific skills. This makes them more flexible to your business needs, while building mutual trust and confidence.

Investing in aspiring apprentices is a cost effective way of attracting fresh talent or re-training and up-skilling your current staff. Whatever sector you’re in, with 89% of businesses agreeing that apprentices can bring fresh ideas, increase productivity and help reduce staff turnover, can you afford not to give your business a boost?