An increasing number of employers offer Apprenticeships because they understand the benefits that Apprentices bring to their organisation.
Here are just some of the business benefits that employers who have employed Apprentices have highlighted:
- Apprenticeships enable you to train your current workforce and grow a sustainable workforce for the future
- Apprenticeships improve staff morale, effectiveness and retention
- Employing Apprentices allows flexibility in the workforce and value for money for employers
- Apprenticeships help to fill skills gaps, bringing greater diversity to the workforce
- Using Apprentices helps to bring fresh ideas into your organisation while combating the problems of an ageing workforce
- Apprenticeships help you develop the specialist skills you need for your organisation that allow you to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices
Research conducted by the Learning and Skills Council (Populus, January 2009) highlighted that employing Apprentices has a beneficial impact on overall business performance. The survey found that:
- 81% of employers who have Apprentices said that employing Apprentices generates higher overall productivity for their organisation
- 66% said that their Apprenticeship programme made them more competitive in their industry
- 92% of employers believe that their Apprenticeship programme creates a greater level of motivation and job satisfaction among their staff
- 82% of employers think that Apprenticeship programmes are beneficial because they lead to a lower level of staff turnover
- 82% of employers rely on their Apprenticeship programmes in providing them with the skills they will need in the future
- 74% said that Apprentices tend to be more loyal, remaining at their organisation longer than non-Apprentices