Independent market research consultancy BDRC Continental's Apprenticeship Survey reveals that 15% of businesses in the UK have an apprenticeship scheme, and 60% of those have employed someone full time in the past year once their apprenticeship is completed.
The survey results have been released to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, and show that businesses employing between 51 and 250 people - categorised as "medium sized" - are most likely to take on apprentices. 70% of those businesses say they've taken on apprentices as full time employees after their training.
48% of the respondents said they were aware of the National Apprenticeship Service, the majority of whom having between six and 250 employees.
49% of respondents thought that the grant money offered by the government was an incentive to help firms take on apprentices, although only 16% thought it definitely encouraged businesses while the other 33% that there was only the possibility of encouragement.
BDRC Continental Director, Shiona Davies, says: “The message from our survey is that there is a strong foundation of support for apprenticeships, which could be harnessed by doing more to raise awareness of the UK Government’s support for them through the National Apprenticeship Service, and also raising awareness of incentives available for hiring young apprentices,"
“Nine out of ten businesses (89%), whether they have apprentices or not, feel that such schemes are a great way of investing in and developing future employees, and eight out of ten think they are a good way to tackle youth unemployment (81%). It is also encouraging to note that half (50%) of companies with a current apprenticeship programme have said that they would take on additional apprentices if they could find more suitable candidates.”
"Key concerns about apprenticeships appear to be the time needed to train them (mentioned by 54% of those who do not currently have an apprenticeship scheme) and how they could be used in the business (mentioned by 57% with no current scheme). Yet fewer than one in five of those with a scheme agree that these are issues for concern.”
