Why Apprenticeships Are a Win-Win for Businesses and Young People

The phrase "employees are our core asset" is much thrown around by businesses nowadays. However, sorting those that merely talk a good game from the companies that actually mean it is possible by looking at how they actually treat their employees. Organisations that practice what they preach understand that looking after their people means investing in each of their employees from the moment they join.

This includes how they support young people just beginning their career journeys too.

To some companies, apprenticeships are mistakenly seen as lacklustre, low-value stop-gaps before the real work begins. This couldn't be further from the truth!

At Critical Software, we actively look for young people with a passion for our industry so we can offer them the tools and support they need through an apprenticeship that actually makes a difference. We've found that our Apprenticeship Scheme is a great way to bring new talent on-board, helping to inspire future engineers.

Wider views on apprenticeships are changing; they are increasingly being seen as a good way for businesses to find young people with drive and talent. This is especially true within certain industries where there are skill shortages, like software engineering.

It's important for businesses to look for ways to fill these shortages by equipping young people with the education they need. Skills can be taught, so if someone is committed to investing their time with a business, they should receive help to develop their talents and extend their capabilities, ready to embark on a fantastic career.

Commitment doesn't mean confinement however - another misconception about apprenticeships. It used to be the case that becoming an apprentice meant locking-in to one trade until retirement. That's no longer true. The skillset provided by hands-on working in many situations is flexible enough to be transferred to other roles, locations and even industries.

Businesses that care about the people that work for them are open to helping individuals shape their own career path. It's true that many of our apprentices have gone on to become employees, but that's down to our engaging projects, great working environment and fantastic benefits scheme!

Apprenticeships offer people a chance to gain valuable work experience within an established company, something future employers will be looking for. In many cases, apprentices are able to increase their abilities by continuing their education in the form of a part-time degree or training course that is fully supported by their employer.

Besides the benefit of getting paid to learn, apprentices also get the time and opportunity to put what they are learning into practice, transferring classroom-taught skills into real life. Some companies will even provide a business-relevant project or an on-site customer placement that supports this.

So why should young people consider an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a real job within a real company. As a fully integrated member of the team, apprentices work alongside permanent staff on real business projects: it's not pretend and work is often business-critical! With full support and guidance, they contribute to customer projects and play an important role, contributing something of high value.

Also, because apprentices are fully immersed in a company they experience internal support structures, like personal development planning, and take part in staff events and absorb general day-to-day life within a business. This gives them a real sense of what working life is like, allowing them a precious insight that can help them to shape their future.

Higher level education is not for everyone because people are not all the same. There are many alternative routes to attaining the skills needed to forge out a desirable career path and apprenticeships are one such way.

Visit our careers section to discover what working at Critical Software is really like.