By Annette Allmark, Strategic Director, People 1st

It’s almost six months since the apprenticeship levy was introduced, enough time to make an initial assessment of how the system is being received by employers and how it is working in practice. So, to find out how employers in the visitor economy are dealing with the changes, we undertook a snapshot survey of employers across our Apprenticeship Network.

What’s clear is that the levy has had a considerable impact in the way employers are investing in apprenticeships. Nearly half (47%) said that the levy is driving their company’s focus on apprenticeships, with only 14% describing it as not being particularly important to their thinking.

It is also striking that six out of 10 employers (59%) said they are satisfied or very satisfied with their progress to date, even though most still have a long way to go in terms of implementing the changes. Almost a third believe that they have made ‘some’ headway, with just over a quarter saying they are only now ‘embarking on the journey’. Overall however, only nine percent of employers described themselves as having fully implemented the changes.  

The vast majority of employers therefore are still on a journey. And while their routes may vary, there are certain key points that every employer needs to pass if they’re going to put in place a successful and sustainable apprenticeship strategy:

• Develop your strategy
• Map skills, standards and training
• Choose the training option to suit your business needs
• Get ready for delivery
• Revisit the strategy and measure your return  

Some businesses may be aware of these essential steps to follow in order to deliver apprenticeships. However, what are the key points you should consider in order to deliver an outstanding programme and maximise the return on investment?

For support on maximising your apprenticeship investment, contact www.people1st.co.uk 

Find out more and hear Annette speak at ABTA's Apprenticeships in the Travel Industry conference in London on 1 November.