Why now is the perfect time to recruit an apprentice!

There’s a lot to consider when you’re recruiting an Apprentice! There’s no denying it can be a big change to your business, but it’s a change that comes with some amazing benefits to your productivity and staff morale.

When we speak to our employer partners who already have an Apprentice, the main things that they had to think about were:

• will the right candidate be out there?
• will they make an impact?
• what jobs are you going to have them do?
• who’s going to mentor and support them?
• how will you pay for them?

However, the one thing that overarches each of those considerations is the question of time. Specifically, “is now the right time?”

The back-end of the summer is actually one of the best times of the year to recruit! Let us explain why…

 

1. Fresh pool of talent

Thousands of Year 11 students across the region have just finished school and are awaiting their GCSE results. Even more have just newly qualified from college and university.

That means that there are thousands and thousands of students making big decisions about their future careers, eager to find the best option for them.

Some will study A Levels, others will choose technical qualifications, but just as many are looking for a qualification route into employment with an Apprenticeship.

These students are the workforce of the future so what better time to mould them into a valuable asset from your business than now? They’ll bring fresh ideas to your business as you train them in the skills that make your business profitable.

 

2. Choose from our exciting range of Standards

Apprenticeships are no longer offered in just a few sectors.

We offer 100s of Apprenticeship Standards in 12 different sectors, giving you plenty of to recruit for the role that your business really needs.

Not sure what a Standard is? Think of it as a job role or occupation. It’s the qualification that your Apprentice will be doing. The scope is massive!

With so many newly qualified candidates looking for a career, all of whom have different specialisms and skillsets, it’s never been easier to find the right Apprentice for you.

 

3. There are financial incentives available

On top of all the benefits an Apprentice will bring to your business, there’s currently an added financial bonus!

Incentive payments of £1,000 for are available for employers who hire an Apprentice:

• aged 16 to 18 years old
• under 25 with an education, health and care plan or who has been in the care of their local authority

You’ll get the payment in 2 equal instalments. You’ll receive 50% after the Apprentice completes 90 days of their Apprenticeship and the remaining 50% after the Apprentice completes 365 days.

 

4. Use your Apprenticeship Levy payments

If you’re an employer with a pay bill over £3m per annum, you will have been paying an Apprenticeship Levy directly to HMRC. Your business has 24 months to spend your Levy funds once they enter the pot, and can only be used by your business for Apprentice recruitment and the upskilling of staff.

Since the Levy was introduced back in 2017, you’ve possibly already got a sizable pot ready to spend on an Apprentice

 

5. Fantastic funding for small businesses

As just 2% of employers in the UK have wage bills of £3m per annum or more, we realise many other businesses may be scratching their heads at how they can fund an Apprentice.

The good news is that the government is providing huge support to your business.

If your wage bill is less than £3m per annum, the government will contribute 95% to the cost of your Apprentice.

However, if you employ less than 50 employees, and recruit an Apprentice under the age of 18, the full cost of the Apprenticeship will be covered by the government.

What a win!

 

6. The results are fantastic

We realise you need to make the right decision for you, but if you want to see how other employers have found their Apprentice experience here are some numbers…

Nationally:

• nearly 1 million Apprentices are employed
• 92% of companies that have taken on apprentices believe this leads to a more motivated and satisfied workforce
• 86% said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation

At The Sheffield College:

• 94.6% of employers believe their apprentice has had a positive impact on their business

 

Feel convinced that it’s the right time for you to hire an Apprentice?

Get in touch with our expert team today who will guide you through the process apprenticeshipsandtraining@sheffcol.ac.uk