SMEs not taking advantage of Apprenticeships

The government have recently announced that they are committed to creating 3 million more apprenticeship roles by 2020, however, at present, a large majority of SMEs aren’t taking advantage of employing apprentices.

Recent surveys have highlighted that only one in three SMEs in the UK offer apprenticeships even though the benefits for companies are clear.

Research revealed that almost two fifths of businesses who take on apprentices say it gives them access to the best young talent, and 28% of businesses say it allows them to develop skills the business may be lacking.

Skills Minister, Nick Boles feels that businesses around the UK have long underestimated the importance of apprenticeships.

“Skilled people are the lifeblood of a strong economy, but for too long UK businesses have invested too little in developing their employees’ skills to meet the demands of a competitive, global market.”

5 Benefits to employing Apprentices

1. Employers who take on a 16-18 year old apprentice only pay their salary. The Government will fund their training.
2. It addresses the issue of ageing workforces for industries such as engineering and manufacturing
3. 59 per cent of employers say it’s more cost effective to train apprentices than hire skilled staff
4. Employing apprentices creates a loyal and motivated workforce. When you are training a young person for years as their skills and expertise increase their loyalty will tend to increase.
5. It will allow businesses to bridge the skill gap, if a company is struggling to recruit employees for a certain skill an apprentice can help fill this gap.

We can help

Recruiting apprentices can be an excellent way of growing your business. However, managing them as they learn is a unique challenge.

It’s our job to be in the know about legislation changes so that we can help you overcome the challenges. The Citation service allows you to manage constantly evolving areas of HR & Employment Law, including apprentices, easily.