How hiring an apprentice will benefit your business

Apprentices bring business benefits

The common myth that apprenticeships are only available for young people or are largely utilised in traditional industries such as plumbing, mean many still view them in a negative way. These are outdated misconceptions which are rapidly being overturned.

Established accountancy firm Grunberg & Co have been hiring apprentices for years and have experienced numerous benefits “Employing trainees provides us with the opportunity to train them at the very beginning of their career with the knowledge and professionalism that we expect from our staff. In this way they learn how the business operates and gain invaluable experience through hands on client involvement early on in their training.”

Apprentices breed loyalty

When apprentices become part of your team you have the opportunity to shape and mould them with the ethos and culture of your business. Many apprentices go on to become full time employees and work for the enterprise that first bought into them. This highlights the loyalty and dedication that hiring an apprentice breeds – you invest in them and in return they invest into your business. Grunberg & Co says “this is definitely a worthwhile route to gain good solid employees who will help grow your business for the future.”

Apprentices bring new skills

Many businesses are now finding it hard to recruit staff with the specific skills they need to help move their business forward. By taking on an apprentice you can bridge this gap by hiring someone who is actively studying. Remember, apprentices complete modules that match the job role they are training for and the apprenticeship programme is designed to equip apprentices to hit the ground running and reduce the training that businesses need to provide, causing little disruption to everyday operations.

Although apprentices may not have hands-on experience within the industry, they can often offer new ideas and a fresh perspective that are just as valuable in helping your business grow. Many come equipped with auxiliary skills that your business can utilise. For example, young people often have a strong technological know-how such as social media that can add further value to your organisation.

Apprentices are loved by your customers

A recent report by the Centre of Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has revealed that 25% of consumers are willing to pay more for goods and services offered by businesses that employ apprentices. This research demonstrates again, the hugely positive impact on employers themselves. The figures show that during training, each apprentice a business hires is estimated to make “productivity gains of over £10,000 per annum.”

With so many short and long-term benefits to hiring an apprentice, maybe it’s time for you hire one and realise the advantages for your own business.

Here are some resources to help you get started

• The UK government’s Gov.uk site has a whole section on finding an apprenticeship
• A helpful guide about “How to write a winning apprenticeship application”
• You’re Hired: Apprentice winner Ricky Martin’s tips
• Prospect’s free app lets you search for apprenticeship jobs from the largest collection of apprentice vacancies available via an app in the UK
• Five inspirational apprentices who secured roles in the Treasury

AAT Comment offers news and opinion on the world of business and finance from the Association of Accounting Technicians.