The benefits of embracing apprenticeships

Hiring an apprentice can be a great way to develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce - as long as you don’t view an apprenticeship as cheap labour. That’s the view of Telford-based employment law and HR specialist, Alasdair Hobbs of Human Results, who says apprenticeships can benefit a business in both the short and long term.

Alasdair said: “Here at Human Results, we are strong believers and advocates of apprenticeship schemes. “There are many benefits to taking on an apprentice, but what we urge companies not to do is look at it as cheap labour for the length of time of apprenticeship. Failing to properly support an apprentice actually costs more long term and doesn’t install staff loyalty.

“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. As an employer, you can get funding from the government to help pay for apprenticeship training.”

According to a recent survey, 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation, 78% said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity, and 74% said apprenticeships helped them improve the quality of their product or service. 

Danielle Wainwright started at Human Results in 2016 as an Apprentice, gaining a Level 3 NVQ in Business Administration, and has continued to develop a strong understanding of employee relations, legal consulting and office management.

She said: “I am really grateful to Alasdair and the team at Human Results for the opportunities I have already had and will gain in the future, at such a young age. “The working world can be quite daunting, however, being within one business and feeling a huge part of it has certainly benefited me in being confident within the industry.”

Alasdair said Danielle had become instrumental in the day-to-day management of the business. He added: “We are always encouraging our clients to look at apprentices as an opportunity to develop their talent for the future.

“We have certainly benefited from apprenticeships and it is a pleasure to see how Danielle has progressed within Human Results and contributed to our success.”