Seasonality in recruitment — When’s the best time to hire an apprentice?

A wise person once said, “Timing is everything,” and they were absolutely right. Timing is essential to success in business, and, of course, this includes your Apprenticeship recruitment.

There are lots of questions you might have as an apprentice employer, but, if you’ve clicked on this, you’re probably wondering when the best time is to hire an apprentice. But there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to recruitment, so grab a cuppa and let’s talk about some factors you need to consider.

First up is the seasonality of your business. If you have a mad rush during Q3, it’s probably not the best time to be inducting an apprentice. You’ll want to set your apprentice up for success and a good induction as well as time spent one-on-one with their colleagues will hugely benefit them and give them a great start in understanding their role in your business.

Your internal calendar will also help you choose when is best to begin your apprentice recruitment cycle. Beyond their salaries, apprentices accrue costs associated with travel, equipment, and materials, and you need to allocate the necessary budgets and resources. Remember though, apprentices do come with funding, so your costs might be less than you think.

It's also worth considering the UK school year when looking to begin recruiting—students are savvier than ever when it comes to next steps, and they’re looking to secure their next step while still in school, college, and university! Preplanning will make sure you can interview the best talent while they’re still available. 

You’ll also want to make sure you’re allocating time for the recruitment process. Whilst training providers like Firebrand are adept at running attraction campaigns to attract talent as well as pre-interviewing to ensure suitability, you’ll still need to interview your candidates as well as make selections!

Last, but certainly not least, you’ll definitely want to consider the length of the Apprenticeship when you’re looking into your recruitment. Apprenticeships vary from 16-24 months depending on the programme you choose. If time is of the essence, it might be worth talking to our team to work out what’s right for you—for instance, a 12-week Skills Bootcamp might give you the quick qualifications you need to get your apprentices started!