With training budgets under increasing pressure, employers are looking for smarter ways to develop their workforce. Apprenticeships offer a government-funded solution that attracts new talent, retains existing staff, and reduces costs.
The Apprentice Academy has been delivering apprenticeship programmes for over 15 years, with high rates of success for both employers and their staff. As a result, employers nationwide have seen the benefits of incorporating them into their learning and development strategies.
Here are 7 ways employers can benefit from using apprenticeships:
1- To Attract New Staff
Apprenticeships are an attractive proposition for new staff. They provide structured training and fill gaps in knowledge and skill, which helps to increase performance and productivity. Within 15-18 months, employees increase their confidence, competence, and career capability. Not only that, many apprenticeships include valuable qualifications, for example AAT, CIPS, BCS and CIH, which help employers recruit new staff.
2- To Retain Existing Staff
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to retain staff. Employees are keen to increase their career capability by gaining new knowledge, skills, and qualifications. Progression is visible, structured, and something that staff feel invested in.
There are now over 900 apprenticeships listed on the Skills England website, which means there is likely to be a learning option for most occupations.
Anything an employee learns is applied in the workplace, increasing productivity – which leads us to point 3.
3- To Increase Productivity
Apprentices, especially younger apprentices coming into their first roles, are perfectly placed to take lower-impact tasks off more experienced staff. As a result, this can create a more efficient, productive working environment and allows managers to focus on higher-value activities. Once the skill level of the apprentice reaches a certain point, the cycle continues, and a new apprentice can be hired.
The below graphic highlights impact stats from Apprentice Academy learners and employers in 2025:
4- To Access Alternative Talent Pools from Different Sectors
Sectors including data, procurement and financial services are reporting significant skills shortages, with apprenticeships increasingly used to bring in career changers with transferable skills. Apprenticeship development programmes provide the perfect training framework to build confidence and competence in a new occupation.
5- To Reduce National Insurance Costs
Apprenticeships don’t just develop skills, they can reduce employment costs too. Employers pay no Employers’ National Insurance contributions for apprentices aged 16–24.
6- To Reduce Recruitment and Training Costs
Training providers like The Apprentice Academy offer a range of recruitment support to help employers reduce the cost of finding new employees. Opportunities can be advertised on the Find an Apprenticeship, in front of an audience who are motivated to become apprentices.
But it isn’t just recruitment costs. Most notably, employers can take advantage of generous government funding rules for apprenticeships, which are designed to help employers upskill their whole workforce, raise productivity levels and drive the growth in the economy. Learn more about how The Apprenticeship Levy works.
What’s more, employers receive £1000 if they enrol an employee aged 16-18 onto an apprenticeship.
Learn more about how The Apprenticeship Levy works.
7- To Ensure the Workforce has the Latest Skills and Knowledge For the Future
The workplace is fast changing with employees needing to increase their digital and technical efficacy. Meanwhile, technology is advancing fast. Therefore, to respond to these changes and to help employers get ahead of the curve, The Apprentice Academy now offers specialist programmes in Artificial Intelligence & Automation, Business Analysis, and Data Engineering, disciplines that have only existed as apprenticeship standards in recent years.
Not sure which apprenticeship is right for your team? Our Learning and Development specialists will map your workforce needs to the right programme, usually in a single conversation.