Hiring an apprentice is an exciting opportunity for both the employer and the apprentice. 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation and 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity. With such a high success rate it’s no surprise that more businesses are embracing apprenticeships. 

So, you might be wondering what the benefits of employing apprentices are. There are many reasons why you should look into hiring apprentices but here are a few important reasons:

• Reduce cost of recruitment: By hiring an apprentice you will be avoiding recruitment fees. Although an apprenticeship may have some associated costs at the start - these will neutralise within a short period of time. 

• Training and retraining talent: Apprentices are a great way to bring new talent to your business, allowing you to source and develop the best talent for your business. 

• Increase productivity: Apprentices are keen to learn and develop their skills. Studies have shown that 96% of businesses with apprentices have reported increased benefits to their organisation. 

• Staff to meet your needs: You can train your apprentice on the skills that your business is lacking which will overall improve your business. Additionally, apprentices can be great for helping with daily tasks that your senior staff need a hand with. 

If you are looking to hire an apprentice but don’t know where to start here are the general steps you have to take when it comes to hiring an apprentice:

• Set up your apprenticeship service account: To use the Apprenticeship Service, you will need to register an account online through gov.uk. When the account is set up you will need to add a Pay As You Earn (PAYE) scheme for your business and accept the employer agreement with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

• Choose a training course: Now that your account has been set up it’s time to choose the right training course for your business. There are many different topics at many different levels to choose from, so, take your time when choosing and ensure it’s the right course. 

• Find a training provider: Once you’ve got the course figured out it’s time to find the right provider for you. Usually you can find providers within your area. This can be done through gov.uk and you can search for the area you’re looking for. 

• Get funding: You can apply for funding through the gov.uk website. The government will cover most of your apprentices training, assessment, and other associated costs. If you are a smaller employer, you will pay the course provider 5% of the training and assessment costs. The government will then cover the rest of the 95%, up to the funding band maximum. 

• Advertise your apprenticeship vacancy: Now that you are all set up and ready to start looking for an apprentice, it’s time to advertise the vacancy. You can do this on sites like Indeed and LinkedIn Jobs. 

• Choose an apprentice: This should be the easy part! Take some time to set up some interviews with the most promising candidates and make sure you prepare some interview questions. You’ll know when the potential new employee is the right one.