At first glance, the idea of hiring an apprentice can just seem like more work; administration, interviews, training etc. But if you start to consider the benefits an apprentice could bring to the company, the matter of “if” becomes a question of “when?”
Suitability for hiring an apprentice depends upon certain aspects, some important factors to consider are your company size, industry, and what you can offer the individual. People opt for the apprenticeship route because they want to learn on the job, gaining skills and insight into their chosen field, simply slotting them into one position to do menial work is not what it’s about.
At RedSeven, we’ve worked with a few apprentices now and have not only benefited greatly from their presence, but learnt a lot along the way too. We wanted to share with you some of the highlights an apprentice can bring to your business; the company’s point of view if you like.
Next Level Employees
You never quite see how great your employees can be until you watch them train somebody else. There are so many tasks, habits and systems your team members may have created for themselves that you have no idea about; they’ve moulded their working day to be more efficient to not simply suit themselves, but the company too.
These tips and tricks will be passed onto the individuals they train, so observing them teach their magic is fantastic. Not only that, giving them the responsibility and freedom to train an apprentice is likely to:
- Build confidence in their own skill set
- Motivate them to ensure the apprentice is valuable within the team
- Vary their workload, keeping them alert and engaged
Who doesn’t want a more confident, motivated, engaged team?
Building Skills
A skills gap is currently affecting many organisations and companies in the UK, because of this employers are having to spend a large amount of time, money and resources on training new people to the standard they require.
By recruiting apprentices, you can work with individuals from the beginning of their career journey, giving them the exact skills, thought processes and techniques your business needs. So instead of re-training individuals who may have learnt a different way, and could potentially have acquired undesired habits, essentially, you’ll be building the perfect model from scratch. You’ll be investing in the future of your business, exactly the way you want to.
In fact, according to Services to Business, employers say that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.
Don’t Go
Team retention is a massive factor when considering your company brand; there are now so many potential options for people with the increased use of the internet for job hunting, self-employment opportunities, and online ventures, it’s important your team want to work with you.
According to GOV.uk, 89% of apprentices are satisfied with their apprenticeship; 97% of apprentices said their ability to do the job had improved, and 92% of apprentices said their career prospects had improved. When you pair that with 89% of employers reporting that their apprenticeships helped their business improve the quality of their product or service, it’s no wonder that 71% stay with the same employer after completing their apprenticeship (Services to Business, goo.gl/pTf6BU). Apprenticeships are clearly mutually beneficial.
On the whole, having a company commit time and money into your training doesn’t go unnoticed. Team members more often than not feel loyal to a company who have invested in their development.
At RedSeven, whether you’re an Apprentice, Brand Ambassador (to apply to become a Brand Ambassador click here: goo.gl/UZaLnV) or Events Co-ordinator, we have a heavy focus on coaching, from day one and continually. We spend quality time with each individual, showing them exactly how our systems work, assigning them suitable mentors, how to go about building their skill set, how to go above and beyond etc. We also encourage each member of the team to attend every meeting, seminar, conference call, exhibition etc they can in order to up-skill themselves and boost their confidence.
How to find an Apprentice
There are an array of companies that facilitate hiring an apprentice, we use Key Training in Swindon and couldn’t be happier with the outcome so far. Having spoken to them regarding the benefits for all parties involved, they summarised as follows:
Form an employer’s perspective: A great way to attract young, enthusiastic talent into your business, their skills will be developed in areas you require and they enjoy
From an apprentice’s perspective: A great way to earn and learn at the same time
Simple, but affective!
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