Apprenticeships “more cost-effective than hiring temps”

Article Type:

Notes and news

From:

Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 45, Issue 6

A UK hotel has highlighted how taking on and training an apprentice has been more cost-effective than hiring seasonal temporary staff.

Tom Howard, apprentice chef at Anglesey Hotel, Gosport, Hampshire, is being trained by HTP Training.

Kevin Meacham, of Anglesey Hotel, commented: “With apprentices, you have the benefit of nurturing people right from the start and the training is done on the job. They are eager to learn and motivated to progress. I find apprentices to be far more consistent. It just makes commercial sense.

“HTP worked with us to deliver the specialist skills Tom Howard needed and the training has also been cost-effective. It has been an absolute pleasure watch Tom grow in knowledge and self-esteem. He represents everything an apprenticeship is designed to achieve. There is no reason why other organizations cannot replicate this success and reap the business rewards of apprenticeships.”

Tom Howard joined Anglesey Hotel after leaving school and never having worked in a kitchen. He started his intermediate professional-cookery apprenticeship in October 2010, which he completed in 2011. He is now on the advanced apprenticeship, which he is on track to complete later this year.

Rachael Fidler, managing director at HTP, said: “In the current climate, you would be forgiven for thinking that businesses are finding it easy to recruit staff. Some business cannot afford to advertise vacancies and often struggle to train and up-skill existing staff. If a business is unable to find the right talent, it is very likely to stifle growth and it affects profitability.

“A number of businesses, like Anglesey Hotel, are turning to apprenticeships to bridge the skill gap and drive business growth. Not only can a business secure new staff, but an increasing number of organizations are working with us to train existing staff with the help of apprenticeships.”