Apprenticeships aren't just a way to bring new people into your organisation. They can help you develop the skills you need, improve retention, support diversity and create a pipeline of talent for the future.

Whether you're looking to recruit new employees or upskill people already in your organisation, apprenticeships give your people the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications while applying their learning directly to their role.

So, how can apprenticeships help your business? Here are six key benefits.

How can apprenticeships help your business?

At a glance, apprenticeships can help you:

• Access diverse talent by opening your recruitment to people from a wider range of backgrounds.
• Develop skills by combining structured learning with practical workplace experience.
• Improve retention by investing in employees' development and progression.
• Encourage innovation by bringing fresh perspectives and ideas into your organisation.
• Access expert support so your apprentices, managers and wider business have help throughout the programme.
• Build a long-term talent pipeline by developing people who understand your organisation and its future needs.

The evidence supports the business case. In the 2023 Apprenticeship Evaluation Employer Survey, 96% of employers reported at least one benefit from offering and training apprentices. The most commonly reported benefit was developing skills relevant to the organisation, cited by 86% of employers, while 77% reported improved productivity. Among employers who had recruited existing staff as apprentices, 75% reported improved staff retention, while 66% said apprentices had brought new ideas to the organisation.

Business benefits at a glance

There isn't one universal benchmark for measures such as time-to-productivity or 12- and 24-month retention. These can vary considerably depending on the role, sector and organisation. Instead, establishing your own baseline before introducing apprenticeships can help you measure the impact of your programme over time.

Government research estimates that employers can achieve a yearly gain of between £2,500 and £18,000 per apprentice during their training, with potential benefits continuing after completion as productivity increases and training costs fall away.

How do apprenticeships give businesses access to diverse talent?

Traditional recruitment routes can sometimes favour candidates who already have qualifications, experience or established professional networks. Apprenticeships can widen your talent pool by giving people the opportunity to develop those skills while working.

This can help you attract people who may bring different experiences, perspectives and approaches to your organisation.

Apprenticeships can help you:

• Reach candidates who may not have followed a traditional university or graduate route.
• Give people an opportunity to develop professional skills alongside practical experience.
• Create entry routes into roles where there may be existing skills shortages.
• Build a workforce with a broader range of backgrounds and perspectives.
• Develop talent based on potential and aptitude, rather than relying solely on previous experience.

At Kaplan, 24% of apprentices are from non-white backgrounds, which is 10 percentage points above the national average, while 24% live in the most disadvantaged areas.

A more diverse workforce can also contribute to innovation and problem-solving by bringing different experiences and perspectives into teams.

How can apprenticeships help businesses develop skills?

One of the biggest advantages of an apprenticeship is that learning isn't separated from the workplace. Apprentices develop technical knowledge and practical skills while applying what they learn to their role and organisation.

That means you can develop people around the skills your business needs now, while preparing them for the challenges ahead.

This can help you:

• Address existing skills gaps within your workforce.
• Develop technical and professional skills relevant to your industry.
• Apply learning directly to real workplace projects and challenges.
• Upskill existing employees without taking them out of the workplace completely.
• Develop capabilities that support your longer-term business strategy.

This is reflected in employer experience. According to the 2023 Apprenticeship Evaluation Employer Survey, 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to the needs of their organisation.

Apprenticeships can therefore be more than a recruitment tool. They can form part of a wider workforce development strategy, helping you build the capabilities your organisation needs rather than simply looking for them in the external recruitment market.

How can apprenticeships improve employee retention and loyalty?

Investing in your employees' development can show them that you're committed to their future. An apprenticeship can provide a clear development pathway while allowing employees to continue gaining experience within your organisation.

For existing employees, this can be particularly valuable if they want to develop specialist knowledge, move into a new role or work towards a higher-level qualification.

Apprenticeships can help you:

• Give employees a clear route for professional development.
• Show your people that you're willing to invest in their careers.
• Create opportunities for internal progression.
• Develop employees for future management and leadership roles.
• Retain organisational knowledge by developing people within the business.

The evidence suggests this can make a difference. 75% of employers that had recruited existing staff as apprentices reported improved staff retention in the 2023 Apprenticeship Evaluation Employer Survey.

Government apprenticeship guidance also reports that 80% of employers have seen a significant increase in employee retention after introducing apprenticeships.

How do apprenticeships support innovation and creativity?

Bringing new people into your organisation can bring new ideas with them. Apprentices are learning about current practices and developments as part of their training, while also gaining an understanding of how your organisation operates.

This combination can encourage them to ask questions, challenge established processes and suggest different ways of working.

Apprentices can help you:

• Bring fresh perspectives into established teams.
• Challenge processes that may no longer be the most effective.
• Introduce new approaches and ideas from their learning.
• Contribute to projects that improve efficiency or customer experience.
• Develop solutions to workplace challenges as part of their learning.

In the 2023 government employer survey, 66% of employers said they had benefited from new ideas as a result of offering and training apprentices.

This doesn't mean every apprentice will arrive with an instant solution to your biggest business challenge. Instead, apprenticeships create an environment where learning can be connected to real business problems, giving employees opportunities to contribute while developing their own capabilities.

How does Kaplan support employers and apprentices?

Taking on an apprentice is a commitment for an employer, but you don't have to manage the whole learning journey alone.

At Kaplan, employers have access to support throughout the apprenticeship, from recruitment and onboarding through to progress tracking and completion.

As an employer, you can benefit from:

• A named Client Solutions contact to support you throughout the programme.
• Recruitment support, including advertising vacancies, shortlisting candidates and helping with the recruitment process.
• Sector-expert tutors and Talent Coaches who support apprentices throughout their learning.
• Progress tracking, giving you visibility of your employees' development and qualification progress.
• Line Manager dashboards, allowing managers to monitor their apprentice's portfolio and see what they're working on.
• Learning designed to be applied directly to the workplace, helping apprentices connect their studies with your organisation's needs.

There's also a clear role for the employer. Before the apprenticeship begins, the apprentice, line manager and Talent Coach agree a training plan. During the programme, line managers take part in formal reviews at least every 12 weeks and review their employee's Learning Journal at least every four weeks.

Apprentices also receive off-the-job training as part of their programme. For a full-time apprentice, this is typically an average of six hours per week, although the exact requirement depends on the apprenticeship and the apprentice's working pattern.

Your role isn't to deliver the apprenticeship training yourself. Instead, you'll provide opportunities for the apprentice to apply their learning in the workplace, give them appropriate support and work with Kaplan to address any challenges.

How can apprenticeships build a long-term talent pipeline?

Recruiting for every skills gap isn't always the most sustainable approach. Apprenticeships give you another option: develop the talent you need within your organisation.

An apprentice can start by developing the skills required for their current role and, over time, progress into more senior or specialist positions.

This can help you:

• Develop future employees with knowledge of your systems and processes.
• Build a pipeline for specialist, management and leadership roles.
• Support succession planning.
• Reduce your reliance on recruiting experienced talent externally.
• Give existing employees opportunities to progress within your organisation.

Apprenticeships can also be used to develop your existing workforce. They aren't limited to people joining your organisation for the first time, meaning you can use them to retrain employees, address skills gaps and support career progression.

Kaplan works with employers to upskill existing staff through apprenticeship programmes, helping organisations develop the skills they need while their employees remain in work.

Is an apprenticeship right for my business?

If you're considering introducing apprenticeships, it's natural to have questions about the practical commitment involved.

How much staff time is needed to support an apprentice?

Apprentices need support from their employer, particularly from their line manager. However, your role isn't to deliver their technical training.

Apprentices must receive off-the-job training as part of their programme. For a full-time apprentice, this is typically an average of six hours per week, although the exact requirement depends on the apprenticeship and working pattern.

Your team will also need to provide opportunities for the apprentice to apply their learning and take part in progress reviews.

Do I need to recruit someone new?

No. Apprenticeships can be used both to recruit new employees and to upskill existing members of your team.

This makes them particularly useful if you have employees who are ready to take on more responsibility, move into a different role or develop specialist skills.

Do I need to provide all the training myself?

No. Your training provider delivers the apprenticeship training and assessment, while your organisation provides the workplace environment in which the apprentice can put their learning into practice.

With Kaplan, apprentices receive support from expert tutors and a dedicated Talent Coach, while employers have access to their own support contacts and progress information.

Can apprenticeships help if I already have skills gaps?

Yes. In fact, identifying skills gaps is a useful starting point when deciding whether an apprenticeship could work for your organisation.

Look at where your business needs greater capability now and in the future, then consider whether an apprenticeship could help develop those skills internally.

Are apprenticeships only suitable for young people?

No. Apprenticeships are available to people of different ages and at different levels, meaning they can be used to develop both new recruits and existing employees.

The right apprenticeship depends on the individual's role, experience and the skills your organisation needs.

Ready to explore apprenticeships for your business?

Apprenticeships can be much more than an alternative route into employment. For employers, they can be a practical way to build skills, develop existing employees, widen your talent pool and prepare your workforce for the future.

The key is to start with what your organisation needs. Identify your current and future skills gaps, consider where people could progress within the business, and then look at how an apprenticeship could support those goals.

If you're considering apprenticeships for your business, Kaplan can help you understand your options, identify suitable programmes and support you throughout the process.

Get in touch with our expert team to find out how apprenticeships could support your organisation and your workforce.