Benefits of Employing an Apprentice for your Business
If you’re a business owner, you know that finding reliable, skilled employees can be difficult. There are a lot of people out there who may be qualified for the job, but don’t have the necessary experience.
That’s where an apprentice can come in.
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of workers by more experienced workers in the same field. Apprenticeships have been used in many traditional trades for centuries, but now they are also becoming increasingly popular in other industries such as healthcare, IT, and business as traineeships.
Why employ an apprentice? As apprentices are still developing their skills and knowledge on the job, they are cheaper to employ. Furthermore, as the Australian government is investing in skill shortages that apprenticeship and traineeship programs address, you may also be eligible for financial incentives if you hire an apprentice for your business if you work in certain industries.
But that’s not all. Many employers are beginning to realise and take advantage of the benefits that an apprentice brings to a business.
Read our blog to see how an apprentice can benefit your business too.
- A Ready Source of Skilled Workers
As baby boomers retire and leave gaps in the workforce, businesses are struggling to find qualified candidates to fill those roles. One way to address this issue is to take on an apprentice. While apprentices aren’t fully qualified and experienced in their role, they take a commitment to complete a 3-4 year certificate course to build the skills required. Which means they are committed to learning, growing and working in the company they work under. Apprentices also receive one day a week of RTO/TAFE training to develop their knowledge in a classroom and support from a field officer to help them succeed in their responsibilities.
- Apprenticeships Help You Train Employees Your Way
One of the concerns of many employers is being able to find someone that understands the company and can fit within the company’s culture and values. One of the greatest benefits of hiring an apprentice is the supervision and support you have in their early work and training. So you can be more confident in finding an employee that can help tend the needs of the business.
This is especially beneficial if your business is unique or if you have specific methods that you use to get the job done. By training an apprentice yourself, you can be sure that they will be doing things exactly the way that you want them to be done, and that there will be less confusion between methods on the job.
- Apprenticeships Can Help Save Money
Hiring an apprentice over a fully qualified worker has the benefit of more competitive rates. Apprentices are typically paid less, and thus they are more cost-effective than fully trained workers because they are still in the process of learning. However this might also differ depending on their age, the industry and how many years they are in their apprenticeship.
In addition, you may be eligible for government incentives for employing an apprentice and wage subsidies. Particularly if you are employing a mature aged apprentice or if you are in a skill shortage area.
- Lower Training Costs
It can be a costly endeavour to train new employees. A survey of over 1500 HR professionals in Australia and New Zealand found that the cost of hiring an employee has more than doubled in 2021 from $10,500 to $23,860 per worker. When you take on an apprentice through a Group Training Organisation, you can save on these costs because their training will be paid for either by the Government (with eligible fee-free traineeships) or through us. Saving you more money and bridging the skill gap.
- Reduced Staff Turnover
Another benefit of taking on an apprentice is that it can help reduce staff turnover. Employees who have been with your company for a long time are more likely to stay with your company than those who have just joined. This is because they have a better understanding of your company’s culture and values and they feel more invested in its success. As the company has been supporting their development it is also natural for them to also want to support the company’s continued development later.
Apprentices who complete their training with your company are also more likely to comfortably stay on as employees because they will already have the knowledge and skills that the business needs.
- Apprenticeships Offer Flexibility
In the case that your company runs out of work, which does happen, you can let us know with 2 weeks notice and we can move the apprentice out from the company to another. Without being locked into the entire apprenticeship.
Benefits of Employing an Apprentice Through 1300 Apprentice
1300apprentice is a Group Training Organisation that vets, trains and provides support for apprentices and trainees and helps connect them with host employers.
As a GTO, when you hire an apprentice through 1300apprentice, we look after:
- TAFE/RTO enrolment and fees
- Vetting and recruitment
- Mentoring & support for apprentices and trainees
- Recruitment
- Background check and competency testing
- Induction
- Provision of PPE wear
- Administration
There’s also no employment risk to your business. You only need to give us two weeks’ notice if you’re anticipating that you are running low on work, and we can terminate the contract and place the apprentice elsewhere.
If we don’t find the right apprentice for your business, you won’t need to pay a thing. You will also always have the last say in who that person is.
Become a Host Employer
Want to reap the benefits of hiring an apprentice or trainee?
1300apprentice would be honoured to assist you as an employer in looking after your staffing needs.
With over 35 years of experience specialising in apprentice and trainee recruitment, 1300apprentice has helped connect over 2000 apprentices and trainees to successful, evolving and sustainable careers.
Contact Us today to learn more.
