This is shaping up to become a challenging year to be a young person. Youth unemployment has risen to a record level, sparking concern for a 'lost generation' of 16-to-24-year-olds as the total number of people out of work increased for the second successive month. Already we know university applications are up 5% year on year, leading to speculation about the number of applicants likely to be left without a university place this summer. Current undergraduates have been warned they should not expect to secure a job with leading recruiters unless they have significant work experience.
For employers too, the challenges of identifying and retaining the best talent continue to be to the fore. We recently surveyed Kaplan clients about some of these questions: 25% of respondents told us they had cut their training budget because of the economic downturn, 20% have frozen recruitment and 25% have recruited only those candidates that they believe can make a significant difference to their business.
Despite this challenging economic picture, there are positive options for young people and employers. National Apprenticeship Week (7-11 February), for example, was an opportunity for providers to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships to business and to young people.
For many HRDs, recruiting your first apprentice may appear daunting. Training providers can assist any business with this process and there is Government funding available for apprentices to carry out a recognised qualification, depending on their age. All of this eases the burden and supports businesses along the way.
Many HRDs I speak to have yet to fully appreciate the benefits apprentices can bring to their business. Apprenticeships can provide a cost-effective way of training up new recruits to meet the needs of any organisation. Time and time again, clients are blown away by the enthusiasm, dedication and willingness to achieve of the apprentices they employ.
The reason for this success is the way apprenticeships are designed, combining theory and work experience, tailored to a particular candidate and company. Recent research by the National Apprenticeship Service (conducted by Populus) showed that employing apprentices is good for business, with 81% of employers agreeing that apprentices make their workplace more productive and 82% believing that apprentices provide the skilled workers we need for the future. In addition, apprentices bring softer attributes such as innovation, creativity and fresh ideas.
I would encourage any business, whether small or large, to think of the year ahead as an opportunity and offer young people the chance to gain essential work-based skills - find out more about what apprentices can offer you and bring to your business. By offering internships, work experience or apprenticeships, businesses across the UK can help young people, while helping their own business be more successful in 2011 and beyond.
James Hammill (pictured) is head of apprenticeships and vocational training at training and education provider Kaplan
