A practical look at the benefits, challenges and long-term value of hiring an apprentice
If you’re considering taking on an accounting apprentice, you’re probably asking yourself two very sensible questions:
What are the benefits?
What are the costs?
After decades working with accountancy firms and finance teams, I can tell you this, apprenticeships are neither a silver bullet nor a burden. They’re a strategy. And like any strategy, they come with pros and cons.
Let’s look at both.
The Pros
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You Grow Your Own Talent
One of the biggest challenges in accountancy isn’t finding clients.
It’s finding good staff.
Recruiting qualified, experienced accountants is expensive and competitive. Growing your own through an apprenticeship creates a pipeline.
They learn your systems, your culture, your standards.
And loyalty? It tends to follow investment.
Many of the strongest managers I see today started as apprentices. They didn’t just join the firm, they grew with it. Quite a few of our employers – their Partners or their FDs/Financial Controllers were once our AAT apprentices. It is great to see them progress.
Also, the business is not just about finding new clients, it is retaining the ones you’ve got. Good, loyal staff are key to achieving this. Clients tend not to like constant staffing changes, so having a pipeline of junior staff that grow with the business provides great continuity of staffing.
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Apprenticeships Are Funded (Heavily)
For non-levy paying employers, typically 95% of apprenticeship training costs are government funded and 100% for apprentices aged under 25. Levy payers can utilise their levy pot.
Add to that:
- No Employer NICs for apprentices under 25
- Structured training delivered alongside paid work
- Qualifications such as AAT built into the programme
It’s one of the few areas where government funding genuinely supports workforce development.
Having said that, this doesn’t mean you recruit just because of the funding.
But if recruitment is already in your strategy, the funding certainly tips the balance.
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Structured Development (not “Learning on the Job and Hoping for the Best”)
An apprenticeship isn’t just a job with a study course bolted on.
It’s a structured programme covering:
- Technical knowledge
- Professional skills
- Behaviours (communication, teamwork, professionalism)
- Off-the-job training requirements
That structure creates well-rounded team members, not just processors.
It also means you’re not left to figure everything out yourself. A good training provider supports both the apprentice and the employer.
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Energy and Fresh Perspective
There is something refreshing about someone at the beginning of their career.
They ask questions.
They challenge processes (politely, one hopes).
They’re usually hungry to prove themselves.
In a finance team that may have been doing things “the way we’ve always done them”, that fresh energy can be surprisingly valuable. Irritating at times, but valuable nonetheless!!
Now for the Cons
I’m not in the business of pretending everything is rosy.
Apprenticeships do require commitment.
They Take Time
An apprentice will not walk through your door as a finished product.
You will need to:
- Supervise
- Explain
- Review work
- Correct mistakes
At times it may feel slower than doing the task yourself.
That’s normal.
You’re building capability, not buying it off the shelf. You may clean the office floors better than your cleaner, but do you want to clean the office floors?!? I have always been a fan of Ricardo’s Law of Comparative Advantage.
Also, if you recruit an apprentice every year or so, use the experienced ones to help train the new ones.
They Need Support (Not Just a Desk)
An apprentice without structure becomes a frustrated junior.
They need:
- Clear expectations
- Varied experience
- Regular feedback
- Exposure to increasing responsibility
If your team is already stretched and unable to support development, that’s something to consider carefully.
An apprenticeship works best where there is intention behind it.
They Might Leave
It’s a fear I hear often:
“What if we train them and they leave?”
It’s a fair question.
But I usually respond with another one:
“What if you don’t train them and they stay?”
The reality is most apprentices who are supported and developed well tend to stay longer than lateral hires. And even if one does leave, you’ve built a reputation as an employer that invests in people which attracts the next one.
You also need to make sure you stretch and challenge your apprentice throughout their apprenticeship. They should be acquiring new knowledge, skills and behaviours, so make full use of these. Make sure they have an opportunity to apply these KSBs at work.
So… Are Apprenticeships Worth It?
Here’s my straight answer.
If you need an experienced accountant tomorrow to hit the ground running with complex client work, an apprentice is not the immediate solution.
But if you’re thinking:
- Where will our next senior come from?
- How do we manage rising recruitment costs?
- How do we build stability into the team?
- How do we create capacity before we desperately need it?
Then an apprenticeship is a very sensible, long-term move.
The firms that consistently “grow their own” are rarely the ones that recruit reactively. They recruit strategically.
A Final Thought
An apprenticeship isn’t about cheap labour.
It’s about succession planning.
It’s about shaping your future team deliberately rather than hoping the recruitment market delivers at the right time.
Yes, it takes patience.
Yes, it takes supervision.
But done properly, the return on investment — in skills, loyalty and capacity can be significant.
If you’re weighing it up and would like to talk it through properly, I’m always happy to have a sensible conversation. No pressure. Just clarity.
Because the right apprentice, in the right business, with the right support, is not a gamble.
It’s good planning and can make economic sense.
If you’d like to talk about how we support apprentices and employers throughout the learning journey, we’re always happy to help. Call us at 01392 435349 or email us at [email protected].
