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Engaging your organisation with apprenticeships

Blog
13 May 2019

Apprenticeships can support every department in your organisation. It also helps the local agenda and develops individuals from all ages within your region.

How do apprenticeships fit into your recruitment strategy?

The first thing to do is look at the bigger picture – how does an apprentice fit with your permanent and temporary recruitment? Could you get an apprentice instead of a temporary resource? Look at how an apprentice can help you fill hard to fill roles. What about the key areas you struggle to recruit for, such as planners or procurement individuals? Apprenticeships could be the start. It might take a few years to get there but it’s better than not doing it at all.

Hiring managers and engagement sessions

Apprenticeships are important to all hiring managers across your organisation. The key is to keep the hiring managers engaged, so that they think about apprentices when they do their hiring. Hold engagement sessions with your hiring managers to help them understand why apprenticeships are so important. Do weekly bulletins, workshops, focus sessions and more to keep them involved so they understand the key facts.

Why hire an apprentice?

A key part of bringing in apprentices to your organisation is helping people understand the advantages of hiring an apprentice. It’s not always hard work and can be really beneficial. Studies have shown that over 80% of organisations that employ apprentices found productivity increases as a result. Some other key benefits include; developing individuals tailored to your business, tackle skills shortage and enhance a long-term development plan, whether you’re bringing in new or current staff.

Which departments struggle to recruit?

As part of your recruitment strategy, which departments struggle to recruit? Really work closely with these hiring managers that are struggling. Can you have a strategy in place to develop these department recruitments over the next few years. You can bring in bespoke apprenticeships to develop them areas. Which departments struggle, and which bespoke standards could you use to develop them? For example, social care / planning teams / procurement teams. There are quite a few roles that are hard to find across the UK, but apprenticeships could help support that.

It’s not just about looking at how to bring new apprentices into the organisation and develop your departments, it’s also about helping departments develop their own teams and keep their staff engaged. The levy can be used to develop current staff, its not just for new staff, so work with your teams to look at opportunities of development.

By supporting the individuals within your team, it keeps them engaged and helps them feel they’ve got growth opportunities. Employees need to feel valued and this is a way you can try and support them. It’s also key to remind your hiring managers that they can go on management training opportunities to - there’s standards available for all levels. Remember apprenticeships are for everyone.

If you have any questions or would like any more information, please contact us at [email protected].