By Timothy Adler on Small Business – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
Hiring an apprentice is becoming an increasingly popular way for young people to enter the working world, allowing them to learn a trade and gain valuable on-the-job experience whilst earning a wage.
You can employ apprentices at different levels, from school leavers and university graduates, to people who want to further their careers or change career direction completely.
You can hire someone new or upskill an existing employee.
And it’s not just the apprentices who benefit. Hiring an apprentice also brings numerous advantages for companies participating in such schemes, making them a great investment.
Hiring an apprentice – 4 benefits for a small business
#1 – A committed workforce
One of the biggest benefits of running an apprenticeship scheme is that it helps create a dedicated, loyal workforce. The majority of apprentices are young school or college leavers, meaning that they have lots of energy with which to learn the ways of your business as you help them climb the career ladder within your organisation.
Eighty-six per cent of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation, according to the government Apprenticeships website.
#2 – Bridging the skills gap
Many companies,