We got sent the below email from the national apprenticeships service. And at first it was the very arresting title that got me intrigued, very confident to talk about money and the bottom line. It felt like such a sales pitch and as it was from the government department responsible for apprenticeships I was surprised by its directness. So I read it and then reflected on the claims it makes.

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Apprentices make a difference to your bottom line

As an employer who has previously had apprentices in your organisation, you will already know the benefits they can bring. Employers with an established apprenticeship programme report a staggering 76% increase in productivity*  As a non-levy paying employer, what’s more, the government will pay 90% of the training costs, so it really is a win-win situation.  You can also receive a grant of £1,000 if you recruit a 16-18 year old apprentice. Plus you’re not required to pay National Insurance Contributions for apprentices under 25 years of age on the lower tax rate.  There are thousands of highly motivated people looking for the opportunity to make a valuable contribution to your business. What’s more, apprenticeships are a great way to upskill your existing staff, giving them additional skills and qualifications that will ultimately contribute to the future success of your business. We’ve made taking on an apprentice or upskilling your existing staff easier than ever and our dedicated support team will guide you through the process.  Research with employers has proven that apprenticeships really do work…. • 81% of consumers favour companies that take on apprentices • 83% of employers rely on apprentices to become skilled workers for the future • 96% of businesses with apprentices reported higher staff retention rates**

Reading the email it’s obviously aimed at people already on board with apprenticeships. Hence why we get the email. The three statistics that they have placed at the bottom of the email make some bold claims but the research feels right from my experiences.

81% of consumers favour companies that take on apprentices

Not everyone has consumers but all businesses have clients. Before working in digital apprenticeships, I used to work in local TV producing. It was an intense working environment that meant we had to deliver a programme every day. And we had apprentices in every department: cameras, editing and production. I had an apprentice producer and would have no issue bringing her to meetings. She would be a positive force and would add her ideas to the discussions. I could see our clients too saw her as a positive force and commented favourably about the commitment the company I then worked for was making to the next generation.

83% of employers rely on apprentices to become skilled workers in the future.

Survey after survey of employers says that school, college and university leavers are not yet ready for their workplace. How could they be: they don’t know how you do things, what standards you expect and the culture of your organisation. And as an industry we need to bring the next generation digital learners through from the world of education into the ‘real’ world of work. They need to learn how to work professionally and to the right standard. It means our business has a future and can be built by the people that run it. Our people trained and developed by us in our way. The way that makes us successful.

96% of Business with apprentices reported higher staff retention rates.

This is just true. 85% of our apprentices are retained by our employers and go onto building a career at the company.

We need to make sure we take responsibility for all the above statistics. It will not just a happen by itself. Digital Marketing apprentices will be part of your future and of course ours at Creative Alliance.

If you need any more information please contact us here.