Driving employer engagement is key to apprenticeships success

This spring, we conducted a survey that revealed significant gaps in employers’ awareness and understanding of the long-term benefits of apprenticeships. Seven years after the introduction of the apprenticeship levy and extensive promotion of the scheme over that period, it’s clear we must do better to engage employers, but how?

Among our more striking survey results, we found that only 23 per cent of respondents understood how apprenticeships could help with succession planning. Less than one-third (a mere 29 per cent) recognised that apprenticeships could significantly enhance employee loyalty. 

We must do much more to demonstrate that apprenticeships can form the foundation of employers’ learning and development strategies. With Labour’s promised shift from the apprenticeship levy to a growth and skills levy, now is a crucial time to highlight the transformative power of these programmes.

During my time working in this sector, I’ve found a number of employer engagement approaches really work when building long-term relationships. Here are a few.

Guidance and support

Many employers don’t want to invest a lot of their own time into running apprenticeships, and many smaller and private-sector employers are looking for an easy step-by-step process to ensure they don’t feel overwhelmed. 

The system is ever-changing and difficult to navigate, so as experts in the space it’s our responsibility to guide employers through it. This is particularly true for critical elements like off-the-job training, and understanding how it can be incorporated into helping achieve business objectives.

Employers also prefer options which fit learning around project deadlines and work priorities. Indeed, ‘blended’ is the most popular search filter on the AAT’s ‘find a training provider’ feature. 

Return on investment

To secure a new employer partnership, providers should emphasise the return on investment they will see. I have found this especially true with private-sector partners who are generally more apprehensive about investing in their team through apprenticeships.

Take employers using apprenticeships for the first time. They often seek reassurance from market insights.  A couple of key facts that have helped us secure partners: 76 per cent of employers say that training existing employees through apprenticeships improves staff retention, and 62 per cent of apprentices stay working for the company that trained them after completion. 

Of course, securing meaningful relationships with potential employer partners is a matter of return on your investment too. We often attend employer events on behalf of our college partners and find them to be invaluable for making initial connections. However, implementing a thorough follow-up plan is an essential part of that initial investment. 

The ladder of opportunity

In a challenging labour market for everyone, using other employers as examples of best practice shows how apprenticeships are giving some organisations a competitive edge.

More than that, many public- and third-sector organisations can provide a scalable blueprint for businesses looking to use apprenticeships as the foundation for strategic learning and development pathways.

Among organisations to take inspiration from, the NHS is a real standout. It has achieved success in apprenticeships for vital clinical areas like nursing and midwifery and then made a strategic decision to expand apprenticeships into corporate and business support roles (where they were relatively much more straightforward to implement).

When advising employers on including apprenticeships in their talent strategy, start with a ‘ladder of opportunity’. The first rung on this ladder would be a baseline qualification which could be beneficial to a wide range of employees, for example business administration.

A level 2 or 3 apprenticeship allows employees to explore different pathways before progressing up the ladder, whether that’s to a general management qualification or a specialist pathway which will help the organisation fill skills gaps.