The Next Generation of Talent Arrives

Published
11 Dec
2013
Apprentices are back!  There was a time when an apprenticeship was the route for young people who were interested in hands-on learning to learn a trade and develop craftsmanship.  The 21st century version of apprenticeship offers a much wider field of opportunity.
 
The advantages for both employer and apprentice are many with employers seeing an apprentice as a means of ‘doing their bit’ for the community and helping youngsters to find employment.  It’s an excellent way to meet their corporate social responsibility.
 
The evidence shows that apprentices:
 
- Generate higher levels of productivity
- Are loyal and committed to their employer
- Stay longer in their job than other employees on average, providing a better return on investment
 
Over the past five years there has been a notable increase in the number of employers offering apprenticeships and, between 2009 and 2010, apprenticeship take-up has increased by 63.5%.
Apprentice training is now more tailored to the needs of business and ensures that the apprentice develops the skills required to contribute to growth and further development.
 
At Lotus Human Resource we have considerable experience in designing skills solutions for employers.  Our most recent project was designing a 100 place apprenticeship programme for the London Borough of Brent.  Over several months we have worked closely with a diverse range of service areas within the Council to secure commitment from managers to offer 12 month fixed term job opportunities for apprentices.
 
For apprentices aged 16-18 the cost of training is fully funded; for those 19+ the training funding is 50% and has to be co-funded by the employer.  An added incentive is that employers with less than 1,000 employees are eligible for a grant of £1,500 towards the cost of recruiting the apprentices.
 
If you are interested in finding out how your company can benefit from employing young talent, then call Lotus Human Resource on: 020 8150 9960; Email: enquiries@lotushr.co.uk