NEARLY nine out of ten employers in Yorkshire see apprentices as key to the future success of their business.
They believe the trainees are vital over the next two years, as they fight their way out of recession, according to a new report released by City & Guilds.
A quarter of those companies who already recruit apprentices in the region believe that they offer greater value than hiring university graduates.
But almost a third of all employers want the apprentice recruitment process to become simpler and less time consuming.
The report, Building Business Through Apprenticeships from City & Guilds – the UK’s leading vocational education organisation and largest supplier of Apprenticeship qualifications – is based on the responses of over 500 employers surveyed across the UK.
Karren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham Utd and star of TV’s The Apprentice, said: “Apprentices are key to the future of the country: it’s crucial that apprenticeships bridge the gap between what companies need in order to grow and provide young and older people with hands on experience, guidance and qualifications which develop and recognise real skills in a career they want”.
