As a business owner or Director, it is often an arduous process to find management staff that fit into the company culture, ethos and vision. If you do not have staff internally with the appropriate skillset, how do you find someone that ticks all these boxes and is it going to cost a lot?
The answer may lie within the apprenticeship programme and the newly formed Leadership and Management Apprenticeship.
There are two ways of going about this:
- Upskill existing staff – If someone lacks the management experience necessary to become a manager then why not promote them to trainee manager and take advantage of the government funded training?
- Recruit a management apprentice externally – If you’re looking to bring fresh innovative ideas to the business then taking on a management apprentice externally is the best route for you and your business. There will be no costs for the recruitment.
Recruiting an apprentice to grow into a management position is not a short-term solution to the issue of recruiting managers, it is a long-term approach that will recruit and retain managers that have been homegrown. What these apprentices initially lack in management experience they will more than make up for in enthusiasm, passion and innovative ideas. When paired with level 3 and level 5 management training they will very quickly get up to speed and become a successful and efficient manager.
One of the main issues hindering the growth of SME’s is the inability for senior managers and directors to delegate tasks. They end up working in the business instead of on the business and it is often a saying amongst business owners that “To advance your business, step away from your business.” By taking on a management apprentice you will allow yourself that time to focus more on the business growth instead of day-to-day tasks.
Another benefit, is that a well planned and executed apprenticeship will statistically provide good retention of staff especially at A level and Degree Level Courses.
A final and rather appealing benefit, particularly for SME’s taking on a management apprentice is it is the most cost-effective way of growing your management team. Hiring a fully qualified manager with years of experience is extremely expensive and often cannot be afforded. Think ahead and recruit next year’s managers today!!
Below are links to both the level 3 and level 5 management apprenticeship schemes:
For more information or advice please call us on 0117 422 4000 or email us on info@professionalapprenticeships.co.uk
