1. Grow your team whilst keeping staff costs down

Apprenticeships mean employees can earn and learn at the same time. The National Minimum Wage for an apprentice starts from £3.50 per hour (£3.70 from April 2018). The average apprentice increases business productivity by £214 per week. Over three-quarters of employers surveyed expect Apprenticeships to play a bigger part in their recruitment in the future. 59% report that training apprentices is more cost-effective than hiring already- qualified staff.

2. Making recruitment and hiring of staff simpler and cost-effective

Bridgwater & Taunton College have a dedicated team of Apprenticeship Recruitment Advisors who can help you with the entire recruitment process and help find you the right apprentice for your business needs. It is estimated that the recruitment of an entry-level role costs in the region of £5,000, but Bridgwater & Taunton College offer this as part of the Account Management Service.

3. Access to funding

Now has never been a better time to take on an apprentice. Large businesses will be able to access funding for training costs directly from their levy account, whilst smaller businesses will only pay 10% of the costs. If you are a business with less than 50 FTE, you will not have to pay any costs.

4. Grow your own talent to meet your business needs

Apprenticeships are a great way to get new skills into your organisation. 82% of employers take on apprentices to build capacity within their business and 83% of employers who employ apprentices rely on their Apprenticeship programme to provide the skilled workers that they need now and in the future.

5. Reducing staff turnover

Develop your apprentices to become future managers. Helping create a career pathway for your apprentices will ensure that you reduce staff turnover and keep loyal staff who have been embedded into your organisation’s culture and ethos. 80% of companies who invest in apprentices reported a significant increase in employee retention. 57% reporting a high proportion of their apprentices going on to management positions within the company.

6. Value and reward for existing employees

Taking on an apprentice can free up your existing workforce to do what they do best, whilst at the same time having the opportunity to pass on their skills and experience to the next generation of employees. 92% of employers who hire apprentices believe Apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce.

7. Providing training that is right for your business needs

Apprenticeships enable you to train new or existing employees with support from Bridgwater & Taunton College. Our current offer from Level 2 through to Degree Level Apprenticeships across all key employment sectors, means that there is something for everyone in your organisation.

8. Meeting your social responsibility

Every employer has a wider responsibility to their local community and society. By taking on an apprentice you will be:

• Increasing the life chances of young people and boosting the economy.
• Demonstrating that as a business you are socially responsible, and raising the business’s community profile.
• Helping to tackle unemployment in the local area, and creating a more diverse workforce.
• Supporting the UK’s strategy to help young people into employment.

9. You’re supported every step of the way

Apprenticeships can be a complex subject. If you are new to them or haven’t revisited Apprenticeships in your organisation for a while, at Bridgwater & Taunton College we have a team of specialist staff to support you through the complexities. Our team are knowledgeable experts in funding and the entire Apprenticeship system. We will allocate you an Apprenticeship Recruitment Advisor or an Employer Account Manager who will work closely with you in the early stages of the process.

10.  Apprenticeships really are good for business

96% of employers that take on an apprentice report benefits to their business and 72% of businesses report improved productivity as a result of employing an apprentice. 81% of consumers favour using a company who employ an apprentice, so not only will getting involved in Apprenticeships help you, it will also impress your customers!

*Facts and statistics taken from National Apprenticeship Service survey