This article has been written by an experienced Business Analyst who has worked in both trainee and managerial roles across the data and technology sector. Due to the author's current role, they have chosen to remain anonymous. We're sharing their insights with permission to provide an informed, first-hand perspective on the value of apprenticeships.
Imagine the scenario - you’re weighing the familiar dilemma of whether to hire a seasoned contractor to fill your business analyst (BA) needs, or whether to invest in an apprentice who will grow into the role.
As more organisations continue to embrace apprenticeship programmes, particularly within the data and technology sector, the choice is shifting from hiring short-term expertise towards cultivating and nurturing long-term talent.
Let’s take a closer look at why this shift is happening and the driving factors behind successful apprenticeship programmes.
What is a Business Analyst apprentice?
A business analyst apprentice supports business improvements by learning how to gather requirements, analyse data, and translate insights into actionable solutions.
A key difference between a BA apprentice and a contractor is that contractors often have a fixed set of skills. In contrast, apprentices also grow within the role in the organisation through a blend of real-world experiences and structured learning.
When organisations nurture the development of their apprentices’ practical knowledge and strategic understanding, the business doesn’t just fill a skills gap but they build a sustainable pipeline of talent which is tailored to their specific needs and culture.
Why are apprenticeship programmes great for data and tech roles?
Particularly with government funding and levy support, investing in an apprentice is often more cost-effective than hiring temporary contractors. Additionally, apprenticeship programmes enable businesses to develop emerging talent that aligns with their specific goals, values, and operations.
Apprenticeship models thrive in agile environments due to their innate adaptability. This means that apprentices are trained to be responsive to evolving business needs, technological advancements, and changes in processes.
Throughout their training, apprentices gain comprehensive institutional knowledge and a profound understanding of customer and user needs. This enables their professional and personal growth as they transition into highly valued team members. As a result, developing apprentices with the necessary skills, knowledge, and behaviours significantly reduces recruitment costs and staff turnover, while strengthening long-term internal capabilities.
In contrast, contractors will typically arrive with a strong set of skills but may not be familiar with the business needs or brief. Therefore, it can be difficult to adapt them to new or changing demands, as it may fall outside their remit. When needs shift, businesses are often required to hire new contractors entirely, which incurs additional time and costs.
Apprentices can be upskilled or reskilled to account for changes in priorities, which provides a flexible and resilient workforce that can adapt to business needs.
The cost-effective and scalable talent model
When looking at building a reliable business analyst talent pipeline, apprenticeships offer a cost-effective and scalable approach. Whilst there is an initial investment in training and mentorship, this is often far lower than the repeated expense of hiring short-term contractors, who typically command high day rates and require onboarding for each engagement.
Additionally, apprentices often develop a strong sense of loyalty to the business, which leads to higher retention and a longer-term commitment. From the outset, they are integrated into the organisation, making them more likely to embrace the company culture, which fosters stronger collaborations and more cohesive team dynamics.
On the other hand, contractors often struggle to fully embed within companies due to the short-term nature of their contracts, which limits their integration into team culture and strategic decision-making processes.
Contractors vs Apprentices: A first-hand perspective
Within my career as a business analyst in both a trainee and managerial role, I’ve experienced firsthand the advantages of hiring contracted professionals.
Experienced contractors bring immediate expertise and can quickly adapt to high-pressure environments, delivering results with minimal ramp-up time. However, I have also experienced the challenges that come with relying on contractors, from losing key individuals when a contract ends or bids change hands, to the sudden drop in team velocity and the costly loss of accumulated knowledge.
Disruptions of this nature not only impact project momentum, but it drives up long-term costs, raising important questions about the sustainability of the contractor-heavy models.
Contractors often deliver quick results with minimal onboarding, but real, lasting impact often comes when you invest time in developing talent. Yes, they require initial training and guidance, but in return they bring a level of dependability and loyalty that is difficult to match.
Over time, apprentices grasp the broader, long-term vision of the business and not just the immediate task, which is crucial for sustainable growth. Apprentices are also eager to learn, adapt, and take on new challenges which opens up opportunities for continual development.
Gradually moving from a contractor-heavy setup towards a more balanced mix of contractors, permanent staff, and apprentices, has allowed teams that I’ve worked within to meet short-term demands and build a resilient foundation.
Final thoughts
While contractors deliver quick results and bring an immediate level of expertise, BA apprentices offer lasting value, loyalty, adaptability, and a deep understanding of your business.
Apprenticeships are not only cost-effective but also a powerful way to build a scalable and future-proof workforce.
Looking to upskill your team?
At Kaplan, we offer programmes such as the Business Analyst with AI (Level 4) apprenticeship programme to help upskill and reskill your existing workforce or hire new talent so that your organisation can deliver digital, technology, and business change successfully.
If you’re curious about the training programme and what this would mean for your business, contact the team for more information.
If you are a potential candidate for our apprenticeship programmes, browse our current vacancies or read more about how you talk to your employer about apprenticeship opportunities.