Busting Apprenticeship myths — The truth about Apprenticeships
While many businesses believe in the ethos behind Apprenticeships, they worry they might be too costly or add little value. In fact, things couldn’t be further from the truth; Apprenticeships not only help learners but can generate significant benefits for their employers.
Let's bust the top 5 Apprenticeship myths.
1. Apprenticeships are just for youngsters.
This is perhaps one of the most common misunderstandings when it comes to Apprenticeships. In fact, Apprenticeships are not just for people starting out in their careers — many new apprentices want to change careers, boost their skillset, or return to work after an absence.
Anyone can apply for Apprenticeships; there are no age restrictions and graduates and existing employees are equally eligible. For example, at Firebrand, 50% of our current learners are aged 25+.
2. The Government decides what Apprenticeships should cover.
This is another myth that’s easy to bust! The standards that apply to Apprenticeships are developed by industry leaders known as Trailblazers. This means that standards are based on what employers actually want their apprentices to know, rather than on what the Government thinks they should.
As the apprentice learns through their course and anchors that learning into their role, they are able to apply real skills to real-life working situations, based on what employers need.
3. Apprenticeships don’t lead to good qualifications.
Again, this myth doesn’t stand up to cross-examination. Apprenticeships come at different levels, starting at Level 2 and progressing through to Degree Apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships lead to nationally-recognised qualifications, as follows:
- Level 2 is equivalent to a GCSE
- Level 3 is equivalent to an A-Level
- Levels 4, 5, 6, and 7 are equivalent to a Foundation Degree and above
- Levels 6 and 7 are equivalent to a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
An increasing number of people choose Apprenticeships over university and more than 20% of apprentices progress to higher education following their Apprenticeships. At Firebrand, we offer industry-recognised certifications as part of our Apprenticeship programmes.
At Level 4 and above, Apprenticeships can be a powerful, cost-effective way to provide professional development for existing employees, too. Workforce development apprenticeships are great for up-training and upskilling.
4. Apprenticeships are too expensive.
In reality, quite the opposite applies. Taking on an apprentice can be a highly cost-effective way to address skill gaps or diversify into new areas. The Government currently pays 95% of training costs and apprentices are paid the national minimum wage for their first year (employers can decide if they want to pay more).
Employers don’t need to wait to recoup any initial costs either. A recent study by The St Martin’s Group outlined the costs and benefits of Apprenticeships. In their report, The real costs and benefits of Apprenticeships, they revealed that many of the upfront costs of Apprenticeships, regarding onboarding, can be recovered much earlier than anticipated.
They also revealed that apprentices generate, on average, an early net benefit to companies of a minimum of £2,496 during their training period.
“When a business hires an apprentice, that apprentice will not only yield a net benefit to employers during training but will also bring a wide range of additional benefits that significantly outweigh the cost of any initial investment.”
5. Apprenticeship training means a day a week away from the workplace.
This myth falls apart easily. The rules have changed to 6 hours per week (for calculation purposes only) and, once calculated, this can be delivered flexibly. Additionally, other types of training count towards this percentage, including shadowing work peers and attending online classes — which can be done onsite.
The type of training involved will depend on what’s been agreed with the training provider or college. At Firebrand, we offer a range of flexible Apprenticeship training solutions to suit different employers’ requirements.
Apprenticeship myths? Busted!
Far from being a burden on employers, Apprenticeships can bring a host of advantages, not least in terms of bringing new, relevant skills into the company. In fact, 86% of employers say this is the case.
The digital skills gap is real, but especially so when it comes to specialist digital and tech roles. The government recently revealed that 46% of businesses are struggling to recruit for roles that involve data skills.
Apprenticeships are a great solution to these types of skills shortages, allowing employers to build their own future experts from the ground up. With Apprenticeships, it's possible to recruit and train a fully-fledged Data Analyst, Network Engineer, or Software Developer in just three years, while delivering tangible value to your company from the very first day.
Accelerate your training with Firebrand
For the past twelve years in a row, we’ve been named one of the Top 20 IT Training Companies in the World. We offer accelerated courses, Skills Bootcamps, and Apprenticeships to accelerate your team from novice to pro. Perhaps one of them is right for you? Find out more.