You only have to make a quick google search to find information on why apprenticeships are considered really beneficial for employers. But what’s it really like as an employer? Why are we taking the decision to invest heavily in apprenticeships?
You only have to make a quick google search to find information on why apprenticeships are considered really beneficial for employers. You’ll find a lot of stats and data on their benefits. For example, a 2017 Government survey found that 75% of employers reported improved productivity, better quality of product or service, and higher staff morale.
But what’s it really like as an employer? Why are we taking the decision to invest heavily in apprenticeships?
Apprentices help fill skills gaps
In our experience, apprentices can bring new ideas, fresh perspectives and job value for those mentoring and managing them. They can also help with skills gaps. We currently have nine electrical apprentices, supporting our electrical delivery during the country-wide shortage of electricians. The hope is that if we can invest and train in someone, they are more likely to want to stay with us. We’ll have provided them a great place to work and supported them in their development and they are more likely to be successful at interview for an improver or full role with us as they know how we work and what we look for in a candidate.
Apprentices increase job satisfaction
Apprenticeships can bring so much opportunity and personal satisfaction to the existing colleagues who support them. You can watch someone grow and develop, learn new skills, and thrive under a good mentor. So, it’s not just the apprentice getting value from the experience. Our colleague mentors and line managers get fantastic job satisfaction from seeing apprentices thrive. All of our apprentices so far are not only passing their modules, but doing so with distinctions and we are so proud of them!
And not only that, we receive lots of requests for information about our apprenticeship opportunities from our own colleagues which is amazing. It means colleagues can easily access really valuable personal development opportunities.
Apprenticeships are good for our customers
Our apprenticeships are open to anyone. So we think it’s important that our customers have the opportunity to apply to our apprenticeship roles. We work with our in-house Employment teams to promote available roles and help customers with CVs and interview skills if they want them. Our hope is to provide some real opportunities into employment for our customers.
As well as this, our apprentices help our colleagues support our customer service goals. It’s very helpful to have a second pair of hands around. The extra help that our colleagues have while working out in our customer’s homes is always so valuable and does not go unnoticed by our customers (or us!), with multiple compliments received related to the professional behaviour and outlooks of our apprentices.
Apprenticeships are worth the investment
Apprentices are our future. If we can invest, train, value and teach our apprentices, we end up with fully qualified, skilled trades with embedded Abri values and behaviours who already know our systems and ways of working. We’re also investing in mentors – our full-time trade operatives that take on responsibility for our apprentices, taking them out in their vans and helping them learn on the job. Our mentors receive training and incentives to say thank you, as well as the reward of knowing they have helped their apprentice to achieve their goals.
We have a dedicated Apprenticeship Coordinator within our Repairs and Maintenance directorate. This is a fantastic role that has continued to grow and add value since we introduced it to the business around 18 months ago. Our Coordinator provides pastoral support, acts as a liaison point with our multiple training providers, manages all our recruitment drives and inductions, and also trains and supports the apprentice mentors within our trade teams. We wanted our apprentices to get the extra support they deserve to help them achieve the best outcomes on their course, but also in their work for us maintaining our customers’ homes.
The future of apprenticeships at Abri
Within our Commercial Services team alone, the end goal is to have around 50 rolling apprenticeships across our operating area. In 22/23, we took on 18 new apprentices from Business Administration to Electrical, taking out total number to 36 apprentices. 3% of our new intake is female, and we want to continue to use our apprenticeships to attract women into trades. To do this, we are running a Women in Trade Campaign, making sure all our advertising always includes diverse representation, and attending more schools and colleges to let everyone know the incredible opportunities that come with being a skilled tradesperson.
We also have a few apprentices coming towards the end of their courses, so we will be supporting them to achieve the best outcomes possible.
