SMEs favour apprentices but not the hassle of their administration

MORE than 95% of West Midlands SMEs say adult apprenticeships are making a marked difference in improving staff skills and motivation.

A detailed poll of 250 businesses across the region has revealed more than 20% of firms saw increased revenue and financial turnover as a direct result of putting staff through training and adult apprenticeships.

Results in the annual survey also showed almost half (49.7%) of staff at the various businesses took on increased responsibilities as a direct result of additional training and three-quarters of firms surveyed have said they would recommend using a training provider to manage their apprenticeship schemes.

West Midlands training firm, BCTG, based in Oldbury, carried out the survey to seek employers’ views on apprenticeships and training as part of its response to Government funding reform for employer-routed apprenticeship funding.

It found that while most SMEs saw the value in apprenticeships they did not want the hassle of directly administering an apprenticeship scheme.

In March the government announced a ‘digital apprenticeship voucher’ would be introduced for employers to give providers who then claim Skills Funding Agency funding.

Chris Luty, BCTG director, said: “We carried out our own West Midlands survey of 250 SMEs to gauge current views on training and apprenticeships in light of the funding reform which was being proposed by the government and now looks set to continue.

“The overwhelming response we received back was the vast majority saw a significant increase in staff skills and motivation following training and 20% put their increase in revenue directly down to apprenticeships and training.

“However, the majority while valuing apprenticeships did not want the hassle of their administration and three-quarters of those questioned would recommend using a training provider to manage their apprentices.”