There’s no doubt that 2020 has already brought plenty of challenges for businesses across all industries. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we’re working and living our lives, and it’s set to have an impact for some time to come.

With the UK heading for a recession, it might feel as though now isn’t the time to be taking on apprentices. But as an article for FEWeek recently explained, now is actually the perfect time to invest in apprentices.

The news provider noted that one of the keys to bouncing back following the disruption caused by the global pandemic will be for businesses to adapt. That means that developing new skills and new ways of working will be vital.

This might mean that existing staff need to upskill, or that there is a requirement to train new staff. In some cases, a business might have experienced growth as a result of the pandemic and therefore need to hire and train new staff to meet demand.

All of this means that there are more opportunities for staff development than before, and for businesses that want to bounce back strong there is certainly a need to provide relevant training to team members, both old and new.

“Bringing in new apprentices who are adaptable can help boost capacity and add fresh energy to companies,” the publication stated.

It added: “If businesses can retain and develop the apprentices into the managers of the future, then even as businesses go through natural attrition and staff churn, they can be confident that they have the key skills within the organisation to survive even the most brutal of societal shocks.”

At the end of April, when the UK was still in full lockdown, the Federation for Industry Sector Skills & Standards (FISSS) launched a campaign to Keep Britain Training.

It noted that moving apprenticeship training online in such a quick time frame can be challenging, not only because of the materials required to deliver the training but also because apprentices will need to have access to the right kind of technology to continue their learning.

The organisation called on the government to extend its support for online learning at schools and colleges to include apprentices, who face many of the same challenges in accessing online learning materials as those studying in other, more academic settings.

“People who take vocational and technical qualifications should be treated equitably with students taking academic qualifications,” the FISSS asserted.

For those organisations that are able to help their apprentices transition to online learning during this period, there are opportunities to help them develop the skills that will be needed to help the business adapt and grow as it moves out of this period.

Working with an apprenticeship training company can be one way of reducing the burden on your team at work while ensuring you’re still preparing the next generation of workers for your future needs.

Getting this support could help you to start getting your business up to speed again, safe in the knowledge that you’ll have skilled workers ready to join your team and help your business continue to expand.