The benefits of apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are a defining feature of government policy under the Conservatives, with politicians pledging to create a massive 3 million apprenticeships by 2020. Although apprenticeships are most closely associated with Britain’s traditional manufacturing and construction sectors, the government is committed to extending on-the-job learning into a wide variety of sectors and roles.

The accounting and financial services industries have been quick to take apprentices on in the wake of the government’s new commitments. While the industry may have had a bad name in the past due to its reputation as an elite network in which family connections were more important than talent, the industry is now making strides to ensure it recruits the best candidates irrespective of background.

Members of The Big Four have massively increased their school leavers’ intake, and KPMG have been at the forefront of schemes combining vocational and classroom learning for several years. High finance has also been getting involved in providing opportunities for school leavers – with Goldman Sachs launching a programme of its own.

The sector stands to benefit a lot from being more inclusive through apprenticeships. Greater diversity within organisations provides them with a multitude of different views and experiences, ultimately giving them an edge over the competition. Furthermore, organisations will also be able to unearth talented individuals who, for one reason or another, may not have excelled in academia.