For all of the advantages that apprentices bring to a supply chain and logistics business, it’s understandable that some employers may still have their doubts. In fact, recent data suggests that as many as three-quarters of SMEs are unconvinced of the merits of apprenticeships.
We therefore thought that with the recent introduction of the new Apprenticeship standards and reforms to the way in which apprenticeships are funded, now would be a good time to consider the many benefits that apprentices can bring to employers and in particular those with less than 50 employees.
Apprentices add real value beyond youthful enthusiasm
There’s little question that the sheer enthusiasm of apprentices can bring real benefits to a company – indeed, it has been found that almost three-quarters (74%) of small firms employing an apprentice see an improvement in their business productivity.
Other advantages that apprentices have been found to offer businesses across the sectors include fresh areas and the opportunity to mould staff to the specific needs of the business, while also developing the skills required to future-proof the workforce.
The latter benefit – the chance that apprentice recruitment offers to marry raw talent to the skills that an organisation requires – is an especially pertinent one for many firms.
Well-rounded workers, possessing the specialist skills required to add value in various aspects of your firm’s supply chain and logistics, can be harder to come by than one may expect. This can make an appropriate apprenticeship scheme at your company a rich source of the right people.
Another great advantage to SMEs of taking on apprentices is the flexibility that the Government now gives to firms to devise their own apprenticeship schemes, in response to complaints that the existing schemes were too rigid for smaller, growing ventures.
Efforts are being made to boost awareness of the benefits apprentices bring
With the recent National Apprenticeship Week having drawn attention to the positive impact that apprentices have on the UK economy, it should be clearer than ever to SMEs both within and outside the logistics sector just how much value they could gain from their own scheme.
As Bis Henderson Academy has long demonstrated, there are many ways for SMEs to successfully introduce apprentices into their workforce and reap the associated benefits – and those benefits are only likely to be maximised with the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy.
