Apprenticeships: What are the benefits? #NAW2021

When I saw the theme for 2021’s National Apprenticeship Week had been announced, I couldn’t wait to find out what it was. “#BuildTheFuture”. As I read those three words, I just thought to myself, “Of course!” – it makes complete sense.

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Apprenticeships at Fortus

Here at Fortus, apprenticeships are very much an intrinsic part of our processes and business plan. We’re always seeking the very best talent, those individuals who are technically brilliant, solutions-focused and continually strive to be the best in class. All key and admirable attributes of an apprentice, I’m sure you’d agree.

Personally, I’m a huge advocate for apprenticeships. Even some of our Senior Team started their professional career via this route. If you could go back in time, would you go for an apprenticeship instead of University? And If so, why?

There’s a whole host of different apprenticeships out there, just waiting to be explored – the World really is your oyster, so what are you waiting for?

At Fortus, we offer a variety to choose from, including;

• Accounts
• HR
• Payroll
• Property
• Tax

To date, we’ve had c30 apprentices, with 25 still with us today. Some of which have progressed their studies at higher levels!

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So, what are some of the benefits of an apprenticeship?

Before journeying down the route to become an apprentice, you may well ask yourself “What’s in it for me?”. With seismic shifts in just about everything recently, the only thing that’s clear is that change is the only certainty. With so many universities operating remotely and the lack of a guaranteed job upon graduation, more and more like-minded individuals are turning to apprenticeships, trying to secure a job in order to kick start their careers

• Earn while you learn.
• Receive a recognised professional qualification.
• Gain real life skills in the workplace.
• Improve productivity.
• A credible and valuable reason and obligation to strive to work hard.
• Improved quality of product or service.
• No student loans or tuition fees – Funded by government contribution and the employer.
• An exciting opportunity to receive hands-on training and the chance to put your skills into practice!

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And the benefits for business?

So, as an employer, why should you entertain apprenticeships, and how does it benefit you? There are numerous levels you can take an apprentice on – from school leavers and university graduates to individuals who either want to further their careers or change career path all together. You don’t even need to take on somebody new! You can upskill existing employees. At Fortus, we have numerous individuals who are technically undertaking an apprenticeship, we call them our ‘Experienced Learners’.

One important thing to note, is that there’s government funding available to assist you in taking on apprentices. As an employer, you may already pay the ‘Apprenticeship Levy’ – find out more here. And with the pandemic still heavily impacting business and education, there’s extra incentives available. For more information on eligibility, click here.

• Grow your own talent.
• Retain employees.
• Take advantage of government funding.
• Adapt training according to the needs of your business.
• Expand and upskill your workforce.
• Motivate individuals, improve productivity.

The benefits for both parties are clear.

Under our own 2020 ‘School Leaver Programme’, we took on 6 apprentices, despite the global pandemic sweeping across the nation. Given this, our hat goes off to all involved, and most importantly, to our experienced learners, as the move from classroom to a remote learning platform and even remote exams can’t have been easy.