Would you consider an apprenticeship?
Next month, a new levy will come into force which means that employers with a payroll of over £3 million will be required to pay into an apprenticeship programme as part of the Government’s drive to train three million apprentices by the end of 2020.
The government also aims to make sure that further education provides the skilled workforce that employers need and will help individuals reach their full potential. According to research recently conducted by YouGov, 83% of employers believe that the school leaver recruitment market will overtake the graduate recruitment market over the next five years.
With this week being National Apprenticeships Week, we thought it would be appropriate to take a look at the changing face of apprenticeships, and how they are shaping and transforming the future workforce and the UK’s education and training landscape.
The Employee
So why choose an apprenticeship over further education? Well official figures show that 83% of apprentices believe the training they have received through work placements has significantly improved their career prospects. And 46% of apprentices either received a pay rise or a promotion directly after completing their apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships can help employees gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their chosen industry. Getting into employment earlier means there’s lots of potential for apprentices to progress into their career quicker. You can also begin to earn a good salary much earlier on in your life.
According to recent research conducted by YouGov, apprenticeships are increasingly becoming a more attractive option for youngsters, which also found that the attitudes of employers in today’s modern world are significantly changing.
The Employer
Research conducted in February 2017 has shown that after finishing apprenticeships, 77% of employees stay at the same company and that 94% of employers consider traineeships an effective way of increasing young people’s chances of finding paid jobs and apprenticeships.
Many employers believe that going forward they will be taking on more people without degrees and that going to university is not the be all and end all to achieve your chosen career. Research has also shown that apprenticeships provide a typical return of £26-28 for each pound invested and 70% of employers say apprenticeships have helped to boost the quality of their products or services.
Apprenticeships can help address skills shortages and help staff become more productive. It is believed that businesses who focus their efforts on offering work-based learning will result in having a more talented and productive workforce.