College promotes business case for apprenticeships

Employing an apprentice can reap real returns on investment for your business and this is the message from Fiona Baker, Group Director of Employer Partnerships for North Warwickshire and Hinckley College and South Leicestershire College.

Fiona discussed the topic at a recent employer event, during which she presented the Business Case for Apprenticeships.

Baker said: “After the training period, an apprentice’s productivity will exceed their wage. The payback period will of course depend on the type of apprenticeship but is a strong indicator that choosing to employ an apprentice should definitely be a business decision.

“Employing an apprentice can result in many tangible benefits. For example, recruitment costs are much lower; by working with education providers such as us, you can seek help in advertising and managing your vacancy.

“You can also address issues associated with an ageing workforce and the lack of skills available in the external jobs market. By working closely with the College to design the apprenticeship programme, you can directly address skills gap and develop a strong, valuable workforce.

“With 67% of apprentices staying on with their employer after completing their qualification, businesses also benefit from a low labour turnover and loyal workforce. In fact, 80% of employers feel that apprenticeships reduce staff turnover (gov.uk).”

If you are interested in employing an apprentice and would like to find out more, contact the College’s Business Development Team on 024 7624 3222 or email business.development@nwhc.ac.uk 

You can also find out more about apprenticeships in Warwickshire and if they could be right for your business by visiting http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/getanapprentice