Job market | Are apprenticeships the answer?

Over the course of the pandemic, many employers have put the brakes on hiring. In fact, last year several firms including PwC, Tesla and Deloitte reportedly put a freeze on hiring.

Aside from hiring freezes, data also pointed towards a drop in available vacancies. For example, April 2020 data from Adzuna found that the number of advertised job vacancies slumped by 50% since the COVID-19 lockdown period started. With that in mind, it begs the question as to whether apprenticeships could be a good and viable way for employers to source the top talent that they need to succeed.

With National Apprenticeship Week taking place earlier this month (8th  to 14th February), a light has been shone on some of the work being done by employers and apprentices across the country. Many employers, including Amazon, Thames Water, BAE Systems and BT Group have announced plans to continue hiring apprentices in 2021 – which will provide new opportunity for apprentices to start their career but also for businesses in terms of securing talent for the future.

With this in mind, should businesses look to lean on apprentices in order to boost their talent pipelines, during a time where the jobs market is so volatile following the coronavirus pandemic?