Heart of England Training, one of our partners, has been delivering apprenticeships for over forty years and offers a carefully constructed portfolio of training programmes across the school, business and salon sectors. To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we asked them to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships and how working with an apprentice can help your organisation.
The true benefits of apprenticeships
The philosopher Herbert Spencer said that “the great aim of education is not knowledge but action.” This seems particularly appropriate when talking about apprenticeships. Whilst occupational knowledge forms a key component of the curriculum of an apprenticeship, what is overwhelmingly beneficial to a learner – and a business – is the “action”: the skills and behaviours developed through practical workplace training.
This “action” means that companies can tap into a long-term supply of training: their new apprentice recruits, whilst working as valuable ‘cogs’ within the structure of the organisation, are receiving relevant, industry-tailored training and developing key commercial skills.
One of our employers, with whom we have supported 8 apprentices during the last 18 months, said: “apprenticeships are fundamental to our business of “growing our own”: training apprentices not just to be excellent members of staff, but to share our core values, ethos and behaviours. With a top reputation in the area, apprenticeships allow us to mould our staff in a way that keeps the business strong and continuously developing.”
It is pleasing to see such growth alongside consistent success within our schools’ provision. Being flexible to the needs of employers and learners is one of our core values as an organisation and is something that is worth remembering when you approach an apprenticeship. Different roles and different apprentices will require different training opportunities. Consider how adding to their skills could also add to yours.
We champion apprenticeships because we know first-hand the benefits they can bring to an organisation and to an individual’s career. We strive to offer a training provision that is tailored to the apprentice’s specific role and the commercial needs of their employer, delivering a blend of knowledge and action that results in competent staff and thriving businesses.
So, if you are thinking about taking on an apprentice and looking at the worthwhile benefits it would give to the individual and the organisation, start by looking at the skills you need as an organisation and then think about how that apprentice could develop in the long-term to help continue to support your organisation.
More information
If you would like to know more about apprenticeships, why not join us for our webinar on How to Effectively Recruit and Manage Apprenticeships, on Friday 4th March 2022. Click here to book your free place. Heart of England Training will be jointly presenting the webinar with us and it promises to be a really useful and informative session. If, in the meantime, you need anything in relation to apprenticeship contracts, please get in touch. If you would like more information about apprenticeship training, please feel free to speak to Heart of England Training and mention our name. They will be delighted to help you.
