Business benefits of apprenticeships made clear
BUSINESS leaders in Yorkshire are joining forces with the Government today in a drive to urge employers to take on apprentices.
Skills minister John Hayes MP, entrepreneur Peter Jones, business bodies the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce, and organisations including BT, NHS Yorkshire and the Humber and Sheffield City Council are supporting the campaign.
The group is supporting the drive by highlighting the business benefits of apprenticeships and how, in the current economic climate, they can help supply the skilled, talented workforce needed for the future.
The Government announced funding for an extra 75,000 apprenticeship places over the next four years in the recent Comprehensive Spending Review. Around 85,000 apprentices are already employed within companies.
According to a recent survey carried out by the National Apprenticeship Service, these companies are benefiting significantly from having apprentices.
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Of the employers surveyed, 82% agreed that apprenticeships give them a good return on investment, 81% agreed that apprenticeships supply their businesses with the practical skills and qualifications that they need for the future, and 77% agreed that apprenticeships are a cost effective recruitment strategy.
Mr Hayes, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong learning, said: “This Government believes that apprenticeships are a key component to up skilling the workforce and are one of the best forms of work based learning.
“We proved this commitment in our recent announcement that we will provide an extra 75,000 apprenticeship places a year by 2014-15 compared to the last government. We will be working closely with employers to help them play their part in improving the employment prospects of young people and creating the highly skilled workforce this country needs.”
Dragons’ Den star Mr Jones said: “My experience in business has highlighted how new talent can really invigorate a company.
Apprentices can work in a huge range of roles in a business and the businesses benefit just as much as the apprentices themselves. This is why I am working with the National Apprenticeship Service to develop an Apprenticeship in Enterprise.”
John Anderson, BT regional director Yorkshire and the Humber and Apprenticeship Ambassador, said: “There has never been a more crucial time for employers in Yorkshire and the Humber to engage with apprenticeships. They are vital to the future success of the region’s businesses and to the local economy.
“These are challenging times for businesses of all sizes and sectors in the region and I would urge everyone to consider apprenticeships. We employ apprentices because they provide us with loyal, motivated and enthusiastic employees who return our investment in them by providing key benefits to our business. Looking at the survey results many other employers agree with us.”
