Ever considered hiring an apprentice? If you’ve never considered the scheme before, here are four reasons you should...
1. You can fill gaps in your workplace
When you hire an apprentice, you can fill skill gaps within your business.
If you manage a hair salon, for example, you might need staff to specialise in a particular kind of hair colouring technique. Or if you run a small business, you could attract new customers if someone in your team trained in social media marketing.
If an apprentice took on these skills – instead of another employee – it’s much cheaper.
That's because, when you find relevant training for your apprentice, the government will cover 95 per cent of the cost for you. They'll pay it directly to the training provider. Or, if you pay the apprentice levy, (if you have annual pay bill of more than £3 million), you receive 90 per cent of the cost.
2. You can upskill your existing staff
Training your employees with new skills isn’t cheap. But often, it’s a necessary expense.
So, if you'd like to upskill your existing staff, you won't need to hire a new apprentice - you can place a current staff member onto the apprentice scheme. This means you need to terminate their existing contract and place them on a new apprenticeship contract.
Ideally, you should offer the same wage and benefits as your employee had before. Otherwise, you could attract negative press for bad 'fire and rehire' practice - and your employee could quit or raise a grievance.
3. It can boost productivity
Hiring an apprentice can actually boost efficiency throughout your entire business. In fact, a 2020 survey revealed a whopping 78% of employers found apprentices improved their workplace productivity.
As apprentices are often eager to learn new skills, their enthusiasm can spread. And as your apprentice learns the ropes, they ask plenty of interesting questions. This could mean your employees rethink any outdated or inefficient working practices.
And as three-quarters of employers with apprentices report a higher staff morale, it’s easy to see why their productivity is better. When your staff are happy, you get much more back in return.
4. It brings a new perspective to your business
Young or old, everyone can bring a new perspective to your business.
Whether it’s advanced technical skills or a keenness to learn new things, a younger addition to your team can breathe a new life into your business. Alternatively, hiring an older apprentice will bring a wealth of transferrable skills from previous roles.
Either way, it’s why nearly three-quarters of employers found apprentices actually helped them improve the quality of their product or service.
Interested in hiring an apprentice?
If you like the sound of hiring an apprentice, our employment law experts are here to help.
You can book a free call for advice on funding, hiring, employment conditions, and more. To claim your expert support, get in touch on 0800 028 2420 today.
