Industry Apprenticeships

We are experienced in creating and delivering apprenticeship prgrammes, with excellent outcomes for learners. Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity for learners to gain skills and qualifications whilst in the working environment. Similarly for employers apprentices can provide a long term strategy for recruitment and addresses skills shortages. We have a learner centred approach to both our training and apprenticeships ensuring excellent retention and success rates.

At Merit Skills we have an enviable reputation in creating and delivering apprenticeship programmes, with excellent outcomes for businesses and learners alike.
Apprenticeships are a great opportunity for a business to develop their workforce and/or recruit and train new talent, providing a long term strategy for recruitment and to help address skills shortages within an organisation. Other additional benefits can include:-

  • Receive up to 100% funding of training cost
  • Increase productivity throughout the duration of employment
  • Engender staff loyalty
  • Increase morale throughout the workforce
  • Potentially reduce the training budget for other areas through cross funding
  • Fully flexible and bespoke courses tailored to suit individual business requirements
  • Provision of structured learning providing clear career paths and progression for staff members

Some key facts about apprentices from the Government website:-

  • Businesses report an average increase in productivity by £214 a week when they hire apprentices
  • From April 2016, employers will no longer be required to pay employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices under the age of 25 on earnings up to the upper earnings limit
  • If you're a small business, you may get a £1500 grant to help cover the cost of starting a new apprentice aged 16 to 24 years old
  • 84% of employers say they are satisfied with the programme
  • 9 out of 10 employers that take on an apprentice report benefits to their business
  • 70% reported that apprenticeships improved their productivity or the quality of their product or service
  • 90% of apprentices stay in employment after finishing their apprenticeship (includes 2% self-employed)
  • 71% of apprentices stay with the same employer
  • 82% said their apprenticeship had improved their ability to do the job and 79% said that their career prospects had improved