Apprenticeships are work-based learning programmes that enable your staff to learn on the job and gain a qualification at the same time; they are great for helping businesses grow, engaging employees and creating the skilled workforce needed for the future.
And with an ever-changing economic landscape, it’s more important than ever to fill skills gaps, motivate your workforce and retain qualified, productive employees. So, companies of all sizes and sectors are investing in Apprenticeships; read on to find out why you should too.
Increased productivity
A highly skilled workforce is a more productive one, with Apprenticeships contributing an estimated gross productivity gain of £2.4billion to the UK economy (CEBR, 2013). As higher trained staff are more able to execute tasks efficiently, they will produce higher quality work whilst also reducing business costs. Skills learnt on an Apprenticeship will increase your employee’s ability to do their job, enhancing their performance and ultimately your bottom line. The more skilled your employees become, the bigger impact they can have on your business.
Increased employee retention
People are the key to a successful business. Investing in staff training will let your employees know that you value them enough to invest in their future. Equip them with new skills through an Apprenticeship to empower them and acknowledge their worth in your business, thus motivating them to work harder for you and inspiring loyalty in them too; 92% of companies who invest in Apprentices reported a significant increase in employee motivation. Additionally, 80% of companies who invest in Apprentices reported a significant increase in employee retention.
Sian Woolson, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Employment, Education and Training Manager said: “We view an Apprenticeship as the beginning of a journey extending beyond their initial two-year period. This has resulted in over 90% of our apprentices securing employment and education opportunities, with the vast majority staying with us.”
Reduced costs
Did you know that all our Apprenticeships in Wales are fully-funded through the Welsh Government? We access the funding so your business doesn’t have to pay a penny! And if you’re an English business paying into the Apprenticeship levy, now is the best time to make the most of it and hire an Apprentice.
By upskilling existing staff, you can slash the cost of recruiting someone new to bring fresh ideas and specialist skills into your business, leading to lower overall training and recruitment costs.
Jo Ford, Talent, Inclusion and Apprenticeship Lead for Office for National Statistics (ONS), said: “ONS has embraced Apprenticeships during 2017/18. We now have more than 100 apprentices enrolled on a variety of apprenticeships who are either new to ONS, or existing staff who have taken up the programmes as part of their career development. These programmes span different professions such as Data Analytics, Leadership and Management, Team Leading, Business Administration, HR, Learning and Development, Customer Service, Commercial and Marketing.
So the question is, can you afford not to upskill your workforce? Visit www.alstraining.org.uk/employers to find out more.
