As an employer, you may be considering hiring an apprentice for the first time but be a little unsure as to whether it will work for your business. In this article, we discuss the main benefits of hiring an apprentice to help you make a justified decision for your business moving forward.
So, what are the benefits of hiring an apprentice? Hiring an apprentice can reduce employee turnover, as research has found that 65% of apprentices stay on with their company. What’s more, hiring an apprentice can also give access to a new set of skills, reduce salary costs, and improve employee engagement.
Keep reading to find out more about how apprentices add value as well as how much an employer gets paid for taking on an apprentice.
When it comes to hiring new talent, a lot of businesses take on apprentices as an alternative method of recruitment but other businesses may be curious to find out the benefits of doing so. From accessing new skills to reducing costs, below we have detailed some of the main benefits of hiring an apprentice, which may encourage you to reconsider how you hire new talent.
| Accessing New Skills | If your business decides to hire an apprentice, they can gain access to a whole set of new skills. Typically, apprentices tend to be of a younger age, which means they may have a fresh perspective on certain processes and business factors. This can be highly beneficial to a business especially if they have become stuck in old habits and business has become quite slow. For example, an apprentice may have experience in social media management which could help a business gain more leads. |
| Reducing Costs | Another benefit of hiring an apprentice is that the salary can be significantly less than a regular employee. By law, employers must pay apprentice’s at least minimum wage, plus provide them time for studies as well as other benefits such as holiday pay. This tends to equate to a figure that is a lot less than fully qualified employees which means that the business saves money. Some businesses find this quite useful, especially if they are a small start up business because it means they can hire employees and train them up to a good standard without too much of a cost. |
| Reduced Employee Turnover | Hiring an apprentice can also contribute to a reduced employee turnover. Statistically, it has been found that upon completion of their apprenticeship 65% of employees stay with the same employer. This is a benefit to businesses because it means that their money and efforts are not invested in an employee for them to then move on to another business. This is significant because the recruitment process to replace an employee can be quite expensive which can impact small businesses a lot. |
| Increased Employee Engagement | Another benefit of hiring an apprentice is that it can increase the overall employee engagement. This is because an apprentice tends to have a very clear progression road map and criteria in place for them to follow in order for them to achieve their qualifications, therefore they are more focussed on their targets. As a result, their productivity tends to be a little higher within the business which can then in turn improve revenue. |
To learn more about the benefits of hiring an apprentice, check out this helpful video below.
It is easy to assume that hiring an apprentice is a good way to reduce the salary cost of your employees within a business, but the truth is that apprentices can add a lot of value to a company too. Below we have detailed some of the ways that apprentices add value to businesses.
If your company chooses to hire an apprentice, it can be more appealing to future talent because it shows that the business is open to hire a variety of people. In particular, it suggests that a business is actively seeking a talent of various varieties, ages and backgrounds which can be very appealing to applicants and make the business a desirable place to work.
Another way that apprentices add value to a company is due to them being so eager to learn. When an apprentice starts at a business they have very little experience which means that they can easily be trained to exactly how a business needs them to work. This adds value to a business because it means that they can grow a team of employees that have a strong understanding of their business.
Apprentices also add value to businesses by keeping them on their toes in terms of processes and management. When an apprentice starts at a new job, they may question certain processes, suggest better alternatives, and in general test the efficiency of the business. This adds value to a business because it keeps them on their toes and encourages them to reflect on the current process and make sure they are efficient as a business.
The amount that an employee gets for taking on an apprentice depends on whether they pay the apprenticeship levy. A business pays this levy if they have a pay bill of over £3 million each year. If you do fall under this criteria, you are eligible for 10% of funding to go towards the training and assessment of your apprentices. What’s more, you can also get £1,000 to support your apprentice if they are:
Centric HR is a team of HR consultants that are experienced in a variety of HR services including providing a comprehensive Apprenticeship Programme. This programme is designed to support you at every stage of your apprenticeship recruitment process. To learn more about this apprenticeship programme, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
