There are many advantages to employing an apprentice, whether it’s seeing a new apprentice flourishing in your business or seeing your team motivated by their colleagues learning new skills. Apprentices are unique, but the one thing they have in common is their passion and enthusiasm. As a business, you don’t have to do it alone, either. As well as putting training funds to good use, you can receive further support and guidance from the government, such as showing how to make your recruitment practices accessible to prospective apprentices and how to give on-the-job help. We spoke to employers across the country to find out about the different ways they have benefited from working with apprentices.
Alison Galvin
Alison Galvin, director of software company Invotra, says the company has “gone from strength to strength” because of the number of apprentices they employ.
One of the biggest benefits has been the impact on the rest of the employees, Galvin says. Having lots of apprentices in the team has created a “learning culture”, she says. “It’s in our DNA that we try to share knowledge, so [having apprentices] brings this fantastic energy to the company, because people are just passing on knowledge all the time.”
Galvin says apprentices are versatile and can fit into different roles. This has helped her to fill skills gaps and to grow the business. “As a business, we’ve benefited. It’s helped us to scale up to the level that we’re at.” But most of all, Galvin says, it’s been rewarding and enjoyable. “You get back what you put in,” she says. “I’m so proud and I’ve gained so much joy and satisfaction from seeing people grow and flourish.”
Clockwise from top: production apprentice Luke Grindle and Thatchers managing director Martin Thatcher discuss the production process at the factory in Somerset; brand apprentice Rose Stitch sorts through stock at the factory shop; Grindle working at the Thatchers factory
Martin Thatcher, managing director of Thatchers Cider, says employing apprentices to work at his organisation has had “a really positive impact” on his business. One helpful thing is that you can tailor an apprenticeship to suit your needs as a business, he says. For example, you can make sure new employees are working on projects and learning skills that are useful to both you and them. “[Apprenticeships] can be changed. It’s not one-size-fits-all and that’s revolutionised their value,” he says.
Thatcher points out that apprentices fast become helpful members of the team. “Very quickly they’re getting hands-on and doing things and therefore making a difference,” he says. “They become a helpful part of the team. That’s useful both for us and for them.”
Martin Thatcher, with apprentice Rose Stitch
Similarly to Galvin, Thatcher says apprentices have helped to “galvanise” other employees and teams as a whole. “Other team members have appreciated what a massive difference training can make and so have engaged more in this type of development.”
Taking on apprentices also shows that you’re a socially responsible business, says Thatcher. “Many apprentices come from the local area, so it’s good as a business to take people on,” he says.
Mike Wade, from construction company Hodgson Sayers, says another big benefit of employing apprentices is that they help to bring new skills into an organisation, which add to those the business already has. “New techniques tend to be absorbed by the apprentices and they’re bringing them into the workplace to supplement what we do already,” he says. This has the added benefit of helping teams to be more productive, he says.
It’s not just apprentices who are learning from the setup, either. Wade says he has also learned a lot from the apprentices he employs. “I’m absolutely learning from them,” he says, “and a day without learning is a boring day as far as I’m concerned. The thing I enjoy is seeing these valuable members of our work community progress. Apprentices are one of the joys of being in management. It’s like anything else, if you invest your time and money, the rewards are there to be reaped,” he says.
Cathy Weston; training at Toni & Guy
Cathy Weston, national director of apprenticeships at Toni & Guy, also says she loves overseeing the apprentice department. Apprenticeships at Toni & Guy run for two years and people learn skills that are transferable across the hairdressing industry.
Apprentices bring energy and ideas, says Weston, who works closely with the apprentices. “Hairdressing is usually their first choice and our apprentices are ambitious – we can’t work without them,” she says.
There you have it. Apprentices can fit into a variety of roles. They help to increase productivity and create a stronger learning culture within a company. It’s not just a short-term fix, there are long-term benefits to employing an apprentice. In fact, it could just be one of the best things you could do for your business.
Fire it up
Engineering, food, fashion – if you can think of it, there’s probably an apprenticeship available. From large corporations to agile startups, everyone’s getting involved. Excited? Visit apprenticeships.gov.uk
