How recruiting apprentices can benefit the Health & Social Care sector.
When young people think about careers in Health & Social Care, it’s common to be put off by the thought of completing long and overwhelming degree courses before actually being able to help people in their communities.
However, apprenticeships are equally high-quality training routes into jobs in Health & Social Care, giving candidates the skills, knowledge and practical experience they need to thrive in their careers.
Here are some of the ways that, for SMEs in the Health & Social Care sector, apprenticeships can provide the staff that they need to offer the best care and help their business to grow.
Attracting & Retaining Talent
Health & Social care can be a particularly transient industry, with a 29% turnover rate in 2021/22. In Yorkshire and the Humber particularly, the starter rate of employees in the sector has fallen dramatically in recent years from 37.1% in 2018/19 to 30% in 2021/22, while the number of vacancies rose from 8,900 to 14,000 (Skills for Care).
Offering apprenticeships can help to fill in the gaps between vacancies offered and vacancies filled. Apprenticeship routes allow employees to earn a living while they complete their qualifications and get practical experience in their area of interest, making them more desirable than more theoretical routes for many people. The option to offer apprenticeships to existing staff can also boost retainment, giving concrete pathways to upskilling and potential promotions within your company and deterring valuable staff from looking elsewhere.
Meeting Skills Gaps
While completing their qualifications, apprentices have access to a wide range of training through their provider and The Apprenticeship Hub. This ‘wraparound’ training can support individuals to improve essential employment skills such as communication, functional skills and digital skills alongside the required learning for their specific apprenticeship. When your business works with The Apprenticeship Hub, much of this training can be delivered at no cost, helping you to fill the skills gaps in your sector for less.
Reducing Costs
All industries are feeling the pinch of the current cost of living crisis, but financial issues are often a recurring theme across the Health & Social Care sector. Recruiting and upskilling staff through apprenticeships can be a low-cost way to ensure you have a motivated and talented team.
In all cases, the government provides at least 95% of the funding towards apprenticeship training costs, and also offers a range of other funding and incentives to support businesses with the cost of providing apprenticeships. SMEs can also apply for a levy transfer, which allows them to work with larger businesses to overcome financial barriers to providing apprenticeships and can cover up to 100% of training costs.
