Apprentices Are Not Good Enough For my Business - Top 5 Misconceptions on Apprenticeships

With our 600 in 6 campaign underway we thought we would take a look at the top 5 misconceptions that businesses have surrounding hiring an apprentice:

1)      “Apprenticeships are for kids”

Apprentices don’t have to be fresh from their GCSEs, as long as they are over the age of 16 then they are eligible. Apprentices can even have existing qualifications, such as degrees, which means that if your business has an annual payroll of £3 million you can use apprenticeships and the Levy to upskill existing staff members. If you’re a smaller business, then the government will co-fund the apprenticeship programme meaning you only contribute 10% of the cost. You can offer a range of apprenticeships from Level 2 (intermediate) to Level 7 (higher).

2)      “Apprenticeships are just for people that failed at school”

Many businesses think that apprentices are people that failed to get into college or university but this is not the case. Apprenticeships are just an alternative route for students who prefer to earn while they learn. It has also been argued that younger people lack the experience when jobs come up (even if they have the relevant qualifications) but apprenticeships are an opportunity to gain a qualification as well as valuable work experience. Many organisations find that their apprentices are very capable and we have found that 90% of our apprentices have been hired once they have completed their studies.

3)      “Apprentices are just more expenses for my business”

Thanks to the apprenticeship reforms which were introduced last year, it is easier and cheaper than ever to hire an apprentice - particularly for SMEs who pay a maximum of 5%. In some instances the government will fully fund the training as well as granting you £1,000 as an employer for apprentices. It is also worth considering that hiring an apprentice usually cuts down on recruitment costs, and you have direct input into their training – enabling you to develop the ideal employee for your business. The majority of employers (75%) have said that hiring an apprentice has made it cheaper to recruit to a position as well as reducing training costs.

4)       “Apprentices won’t bring any value to my business”

Apprentices don’t necessarily need hand holding - they can complete tasks and boost productivity. On average, an apprentice increases business productivity by £214 per week, which is definitely an incentive for your organisation. It is not just productivity value that they add, 88% of employers say that apprenticeships lead to a more satisfied and motivated workforce. They also give your existing staff an opportunity to gain valuable managerial experience, and this is something which should not be overlooked.

5)      “I’m not a builder why do I need an apprentice?”

Apprenticeships are available across a variety of sectors and you might not even realise that we offer apprenticeships that are relevant to your business.  We have 98 apprenticeship standards and frameworks listed on the provider portal, which range from business administration and accountancy right up to management and law.

If you would like to find out more about how an apprentice can help your business and what support is available to you and your business through apprenticeships contact the Training Solutions team via email enquiries@weston.ac.uk or via phone on 01934 411594.