Skills Development - Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications your organisation needs now and in the future. In Wales specifically they can help you tackle your skills shortages, and can be designed around the needs of your business. Apprenticeships help you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector.
Financial Incentives - Apprenticeships deliver real returns to your bottom line. Investment in Apprentices, can lead to reduced recruitment costs over time and rates of pay are more favourable. For those employed under the age of 25 National Insurance contributions are not required.
Productivity & Staff Retention - Investing in Apprenticeships to boost key skills in your organisation can lead to increased productivity, reduced staff turnover and a more satisfied and capable workforce.
Motivated & Loyal - Apprentices tend to be eager, motivated, flexible and loyal to the company that invested in them.
Earn while they learn - The Apprentice doesn’t have to pay any course fees and earns a wage during their learning.
Learn on the Job - Apprentices learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications. They work towards a work-based qualification such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) / Qualification Credited Framework (QCF) and other nationally recognised qualifications.
Support during training - Both the employer and training provides the Apprentice with a range of support during the Apprenticeship. (There is a range of templates later in this pack that will help you to provide your Apprentice the ongoing support they need).
Prospects - As Apprenticeships are trained in the skills you need there are clear routes to progression following their Apprenticeship.
Progression - Apprentices can progress onto a Higher Apprenticeship (where available) or using their invaluable ‘world of work’ knowledge and skills can progress into permanent posts within their host organisation or elsewhere. (Later in this pack there is an Apprenticeship to Employment Pathway model).
Other benefits - Apprentices also have access to a number of student benefits such as NUS cards etc. And also can join the NHS pension scheme which is amongst the best available in the public Sector. Also as an NHS employee the apprentice will be eligible for a number of discounts with retailers that are only available to NHS Staff. Further details of these retailers are available online on a number of websites.