Apprenticeships are delivering great results for individuals, teams and pub businesses – and in many cases, it is free with training providers on hand to help the process run smoothly and deliver the best results

On-the-job training in the form of apprenticeships can have real impact on any business, particularly breweries and pubs, in terms of developing individuals, broadening their skill set and releasing fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm for driving the business forward.

People like to feel valued and invested in, and offering a range of apprenticeships – no matter how small or large your business is – can boost energy and enthusiasm for the role, as well as bringing a fresh approach to the day-to-day way of doing things. 

Apprenticeships aren’t only for young or new staff members. Anyone, including the head brewer or licensee, can sign themselves up to a course, upskilling in areas where someone has little knowledge or to build on current qualifications. There are levels for everyone too, from basic training up to a degree and masters level.

Publicans and Brewers engaged with apprenticeship programmes describe it as a win, win situation. And for those who may be reluctant to commit time and money, HIT Training’s Licensed Trade Director Jeremy Scorer says that the positive impact on businesses and individuals shouldn’t be underestimated. 

“Having an active apprenticeship programme attracts committed and progressive individuals to your business. For the younger generations, having an opportunity to improve and develop through training is important,” says Jeremy.

Figures show that apprentices are more likely to remain within an organisation because they feel supported by their employer. A staggering 80% of businesses have significantly increased employee retention rates as a result of engaging in apprenticeship activity, according to HIT Training. 

“Another key benefit is customer satisfaction scores. When you consider the three elements that make up great customer service – knowledge, skills and behaviour – we see customer service scores measurably increase in terms of customer satisfaction levels when they have been served by an apprentice, or someone who is being coached and developed on the job,” says Jeremy. 

Achieving better customer feedback scores is good for business, as it drives footfall and spend-per-head. “As customers, we know that we go to places for a great experience and there is nothing more satisfying that being served by someone who is well-informed, knowledgeable about the products on sale, and has great service skills. I know that my spend is highly likely to increase, as well as any return visits becoming more frequent.”

Any old-fashioned notion that apprenticeships are complex and bureaucratic should be forgotten, says Jeremy, who says all that is required is an employer who is committed to the programme with a team member who is enthusiastic to learn.

“All a successful apprenticeship programme requires is a commitment from the employer, the apprentice and the training provider,” says Jeremy.

Five top reasons why you need apprenticeships in your business now

Running a successful brewery, pub or licensed premises requires an expert team with the best chefs, kitchen staff, servers, brewers and managers.

At HIT Training, our team of expert trainers know what the best of the best looks like. We know that investing in staff can make a world of difference to a team’s expertise, practical and social skills whether it be complying with latest licensing regulations or meeting the highest compliance standards possible.

And attracting the best of the best is easier than you think!

Work-based apprenticeships have a proven track record of bringing huge benefits to business. And it’s not only affordable but worthy too.

The top FIVE reasons why you should be using apprenticeships

1. To attract talented people with career aspirations. Research shows that go-getting individuals are more likely to want to join your team if they know you are making an investment in training.

1. Retain great staff through career opportunities. We found that over two-thirds of employees (35.1%) have always been interested in training and would love the opportunity to master their skills through an apprenticeship and take the next step on the career ladder.

1. Be a more efficient business through better skilled people. By upskilling your staff, you’ll have more team members who are able to operate across different functions, and this will help business grow. 

1. Free up managers’ time. Building a home-grown skilled workforce means you’ll have more competent individuals in your team who require less supervision. Creating a team that delivers high-quality customer experiences entices people back time and time again and gets people talking about your establishment for the right reasons.

1. Make your managers better. Providing skills that increase efficiency, productivity and enable innovation, in turn, boosts the bottom line.  Investment in training and development of staff always pays dividends and helps staff retention.

Don’t forget the Levy too! 

Whether you are a licensee of a pub, head brewer or the chief executive of a pub chain, are you aware of all the apprenticeship funding options?

If you are a company with an annual wage bill over £3 million, you will automatically be paying into a funding scheme developed by the government called ‘The Apprenticeship Levy’. 

These funds will be lost to the Exchequer unless they are used to provide approved apprenticeship training – another reason why you should be using apprenticeships! 

‘Use it or lose it’ is the phrase we like to use.

For smaller businesses that don’t pay the apprenticeship levy, you still have access to the government’s co-investment fund to support with the cost of apprenticeship training. The government asks that employers make a 5% contribution, and the government pays the remaining 95% of funding set for the apprenticeship.

Also, the Government will fully fund apprenticeships in small businesses by paying the full
cost of training for anyone up to the age of 21.

This means your future training requirements could already be paid for!