Apprentices - Young People buy from Young People!

National Apprenticeship Week was launched on Monday at London’s Shard with Business Secretary Sajid Javid encouraging more businesses to take on apprenticeships.

“Apprenticeships don’t just offer life-changing opportunities to our young people, they also deliver for the bottom line,” he said.

“We are committed to three million apprenticeships by 2020 because apprenticeships are good for Britain.”

National Apprenticeship Week (14 to 18 March) is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service and is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have not only on the individual but on businesses and the economy as a whole.

The Government has released new research to mark Apprenticeship Week which claims the right people and skills are ten times more important to expansion than access to finance. The research also shows that managers who hire apprenticeships are five times more likely to expand their business. See the detail HERE

Both People 1st and the Hospitality Guild offer advice and toolkits for businesses considering hiring an apprentice, but in short, there are plenty of solid reasons:

-A People 1st survey reveals that four in 10 employers find apprentices more productive than hiring new staff

-The cost of hiring an apprentice pays for itself fast

-Trained apprentices offer the bespoke skills the business needs for the future

In one case, hiring apprentices has had a direct effect on sales. Hays Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel agent, says it has seen a ‘notable increase’ in the number of younger people coming through the doors of former Bath Travel branches.

“Gratifyingly, since the rebrand (of Bath Travel branches) we have seen a notable increase in the number of younger clients,” managing director John Hays said.

“Combined with our apprentices, we’re breathing new life into these shops by bringing in new customers,” he added. “Young people buy from young people.”

By Sheron Crossman