Businesses of all sizes, shapes and industries can reap the benefits that come with hiring apprentices, but for many companies, the issue is about knowing the first steps to take.

One of the most important priorities for any industry is planning for that next generation, and hiring an apprentice is one of the most effective ways to do this. Beyond that, the vast majority of employers found the experience not only fulfilling but directly improved the service they provided.

For SME businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees, they can even claim a grant for taking on apprentices, and apprenticeship providers will assist every step of the way.

The first step to get started is to get in touch with an adviser, who will help you to understand what type of apprentice you need, what course will suit them best and help the business to set up a free vacancy advert.

This will also help ensure that the business knows what they need to provide on their side, from assigning a mentor, ensuring that on-the-job training is offered and what types of qualifications would be best suited to their medium and long-term needs.

The next step is to work with a training organisation to deliver the apprenticeship. At least 20 per cent of the apprenticeship each week (typically one day out of five) needs to involve in-class training with a course relevant to an apprentice’s future career prospects.

This can be either in partnership with an independent provider or working with a further education college.

This gives an apprentice the best of both worlds; they have the direct, tailored on the job training they need to succeed in the short term, as well as the wider knowledge and certification to help them be the future of your industry in the long term as well.