National Apprenticeship Week 2020: Myth Busting

To kick off National Apprenticeship Week 2020 the skills team at Business West have compiled a list of the most common myths they hear day-to-day. These are all concerns racing through the heads of business owners when considering whether or not to take an apprentice on.

We've looked to quash these rumours with simple, concise answers that should ease concerns of businesses thinking of taking on an apprentice who's looking to further their education; whilst gaining vital workplace experience.

“Apprentices are resource intensive and I’ll have to spend a lot of my time supervising them.”

It’s true that apprentices need to be supervised, especially at the beginning or if they’re new to the world of work. Assigning a mentor / buddy is a useful way to support the apprentice but also offers the chance for the mentor to build their own leadership skills. Soon enough the apprentice will develop enough confidence to work more on their own initiative.

“I’m nervous about recruiting young people – will they be difficult to manage?”

Not necessarily. Like any other employee you must invest time in managing them and their performance if you want to get the best and keep them engaged. Young people will undoubtedly need some pastoral care – especially at the beginning of their post to help them settle in and build their confidence but often can be easier to shape as they have no prior work experience or established ways of doing things. GOV.uk have put together a useful guide to help you with supporting young apprentices.

“Apprenticeships aren’t relevant to my business – they are only for entry level or manual trades.”

The world of work is changing and so are apprenticeships! There are more than 500 standards - with more being created all the time - for apprenticeships covering a wide range of occupational areas such as customer service, digital and creative, cyber security, engineering, catering, project management and leadership. They can start at level 2 and go up to degree levels. Some even include professional qualifications.

“An apprentice will have to wait until September to start.”

The majority of apprenticeships can be delivered throughout the year, and in most cases, you can recruit at a time which suits you rather than having to wait until September. Timing can be key to extending your potential pool of recruits though.

“Apprenticeships are only used for recruiting new employees.”

Apprenticeships are available for anyone aged 16 – 65 and are for existing employees as well as new recruits. They are a great way for individuals to take the next step in their careers and add to or reinforce existing skills they need to be confident and competent. This in turn can help to boost motivation and retention.

#LookBeyond #NAW2020