Investing in your people can help your organisation build the skills it needs to grow, while giving employees opportunities to develop their careers. Apprenticeships are a flexible way for employers to develop new and existing talent, whether you're recruiting someone new or upskilling an employee who already understands your business.

For employers, apprenticeships can help you:

• Build a skilled talent pipeline for the future
• Develop role-specific knowledge and skills
• Support employee development and retention
• Address current and future skills gaps
• Bring new perspectives and ideas into your organisation

So, should you hire new talent or invest in the employees you already have? And how can apprenticeships help you find the right balance?

What is an apprenticeship for employers?

An apprenticeship combines paid employment with structured training, allowing an apprentice to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need for their role.

For employers, this provides an opportunity to develop talent around the needs of your organisation, rather than relying solely on recruiting people who already have every skill you need.

Apprenticeships can be suitable for both new hires and existing employees. A new employee can develop the skills they need while gaining practical experience in your workplace, while an existing employee can use an apprenticeship to build on their current knowledge and progress into a new or more senior role.

Apprenticeships are available across a wide range of levels and sectors, making them suitable for people at different stages of their careers.

Hire new talent or upskill existing staff?

There's no one-size-fits-all approach. The right option will depend on your organisation's skills gaps, recruitment needs and future plans.

Hiring new apprentices

Bringing a new apprentice into your organisation can help you:

• Develop talent from the ground up around your processes, systems and values
• Build a future skills pipeline rather than relying solely on experienced hires
• Bring fresh perspectives and new ideas into your workplace
• Broaden your recruitment pool by considering people with limited previous experience
• Develop skills specific to your organisation and sector

New apprentices can bring enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, while structured training helps them develop the skills they need to contribute to your organisation.

Upskilling existing employees

Apprenticeships aren't just for new starters. They can also be a valuable way to invest in the people you already employ.

Your existing employees already understand your organisation, its culture and its customers. An apprenticeship can build on that experience by helping them develop new skills or prepare for greater responsibility.

Upskilling existing employees can help you:

• Retain experienced employees by giving them opportunities to learn and progress
• Address internal skills gaps without always needing to recruit externally
• Develop future leaders and specialist talent
• Recognise and reward potential within your existing workforce
• Apply learning directly to the workplace, allowing employees to put new knowledge and skills into practice

Benefits of apprenticeships for employers

Whether you're recruiting new talent or developing existing employees, an apprenticeship can offer a range of benefits for your organisation.

Build a future-ready skills pipeline

Finding people with the right skills can be challenging, particularly in sectors where demand for skilled professionals is high.

Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to develop people for the roles and skills your organisation needs now and in the future. Rather than waiting for the right candidate to appear, you can invest in developing talent yourself.

Support employee retention

Employees who have opportunities to learn and progress can see a clearer future within an organisation.

An apprenticeship can provide a structured development route, helping employees build new skills and work towards their career goals while continuing to contribute to your organisation.

Develop practical, workplace-ready skills

Apprenticeships combine structured training with practical experience. This means apprentices can put their learning into practice as they develop, connecting what they learn with real workplace situations.

For employers, this creates an opportunity to develop skills that are relevant to the role and your organisation.

Broaden your talent pool

Apprenticeships can open up opportunities to people at different stages of their careers, from school leavers to existing employees and career changers.

Including apprenticeships in your recruitment strategy can help you reach a wider pool of candidates and bring different experiences and perspectives into your organisation.

Develop the talent you already have

An apprenticeship doesn't have to mean hiring someone new. Existing employees can also undertake apprenticeships to develop their skills and progress within your organisation.

This can help you make better use of the talent you already have while building the capabilities your organisation needs.

Hiring new staff vs upskilling via apprenticeships

Both approaches can help you address skills gaps, but they offer different benefits.

As a rule of thumb: choose hiring when you need to bring new people or capabilities into your organisation, and choose upskilling when you already have employees with the potential to develop the skills you need.

You don't have to choose just one approach, either. A strong apprenticeship strategy can combine new recruitment with ongoing employee development.

How to start an apprenticeship programme

If you're considering an apprenticeship for the first time, getting started doesn't have to be complicated.

1. Identify your skills needs

Start by considering where your organisation has current or future skills gaps.

Ask yourself:

• Which roles are difficult to recruit for?
• Which skills will your organisation need as it grows?
• Could existing employees benefit from additional training?
• Are there employees who could progress into more senior or specialist roles?

This will help you decide whether you're looking to recruit a new apprentice, upskill an existing employee, or do both.

2. Find the right apprenticeship standard

Once you understand what you need, look for an apprenticeship standard that matches the role and skills you want to develop.

Consider the level, content, duration and training requirements of the programme to make sure it's suitable for both the apprentice and your organisation.

3. Choose an apprenticeship training provider

A training provider will deliver the structured training that forms part of the apprenticeship and work with you and the apprentice throughout the programme.

Look for a provider that understands your sector and can offer the level of support your organisation needs.

4. Plan the apprentice's role and training

Before the apprenticeship begins, consider how the role and training will work together.

You'll need to make sure the apprentice has time during their working hours to complete their required off-the-job training. The amount of training required depends on the apprenticeship standard.

Training can include activities such as classes, online learning, independent study, mentoring and projects. Your training provider can help you understand the requirements and create an appropriate training plan.

5. Recruit or select your apprentice

If you're recruiting a new employee, advertise the role with the apprenticeship and training requirements clearly explained.

If you're upskilling an existing employee, discuss their development goals and make sure the apprenticeship is appropriate for their current role and future career plans.

6. Support your apprentice throughout the programme

An apprenticeship works best when the employer, apprentice and training provider work together.

Give your apprentice opportunities to apply their learning, provide regular feedback and make time for progress reviews. Your training provider should also provide ongoing support throughout the programme.

7. Measure the impact

Consider how you'll measure the success of your apprenticeship programme.

You could track:

• Skills gained against your original objectives
• Employee performance and productivity
• Progression into new or more senior roles
• Employee retention
• Recruitment and training costs
• Apprentice completion rates
• Contributions to specific business projects or objectives

Establishing your objectives before the apprenticeship begins gives you clear measures against which to assess its impact.

How much time does an apprenticeship take?

The time commitment depends on the apprenticeship standard, the apprentice's role and their training plan.

Apprentices must complete a specified amount of off-the-job training as part of their apprenticeship. For new apprenticeship starts from 1 August 2025, the minimum volume of off-the-job training is set for each individual apprenticeship standard.

The statutory minimum duration for new apprenticeship starts is eight months.

The required training must take place during the apprentice's working hours rather than being added to their personal time. Your training provider can help you plan when and how this training will take place.

How does apprenticeship funding work?

Apprenticeship funding depends on factors including whether you pay the Apprenticeship Levy, the apprentice's age and the type of apprenticeship.

Employers that pay the Apprenticeship Levy can use funds in their apprenticeship service account to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment, subject to the relevant funding rules.

Employers that don't pay the levy can also access apprenticeship funding, although the amount of government funding available depends on the relevant eligibility and funding rules.

If you're unsure which funding route applies to your organisation, speak to your training provider for guidance.

Can apprenticeship levy funds be transferred?

Levy-paying employers can transfer some of their unused apprenticeship funds to other employers to support apprenticeship training and assessment.

This can be useful for organisations that have unused levy funds, as well as businesses looking for support with apprenticeship costs.

The rules around apprenticeship funding and levy transfers can change, so employers should check the latest government guidance before making funding decisions.

Build the skills your business needs

Whether you're looking to hire new talent, develop existing employees or address a specific skills gap, apprenticeships can help you build a stronger and more capable workforce.

With the right apprenticeship programme, your employees can develop valuable skills while applying their learning directly to your organisation.

Ready to explore apprenticeships for your organisation?

Explore our Data and Technology apprenticeships to find programmes that can help you develop the skills your organisation needs.

You can also explore our other apprenticeship programmes for more information about apprenticeships, upskilling, and developing your workforce.

For more information about our Data and Technology apprenticeships, download our employer brochure for information about funding, hiring and how to get started.