Despite all the political debate around how apprenticeships should be funded, it's widely agreed among employers and training providers that it's businesses and not governments who determine their ultimate effectiveness.
Many company CEOs and recruiters have said that to address skills shortages and create better career development opportunities, apprenticeship training requires direct input from businesses.
We look at what employers can do to make their voices heard and ensure that the training given to the apprentices they recruit adequately addresses their needs and those of the wider economy.
It's a given that apprenticeship schemes work best when employer, training provider and learner take a partnership approach. That way, everyone is on the same page and knows exactly what's expected of them at each and every stage of an apprentice's learning journey.
Recruiting an apprentice takes time and money, especially for smaller businesses, so companies and organisations need to see a return on their investment. And the results are often so much more rewarding when employers work collaboratively with training providers to shape course content and training delivery.
Some UK FE colleges have employment boards and skills academies whose members include owners, directors, CEOs and managers of businesses in their local areas.
By holding a seat on these boards, employers can take an active role in training programme development, making sure that full-time students and apprentices acquire the skills, aptitude and knowledge their workplaces need. This in turn, boosts productivity, helps plug skills gaps and promotes economic growth.
Employer engagement also opens the door to greater opportunities for colleges and students, with board members offering practical work experience placements, industry visits and participation in open days.
Your association with your local FE college or apprenticeship training provider can also bring you added value in terms of your PR profile and brand image.
A mention in a media story about a high achieving learner who did work experience with you looks great from a corporate social responsibility perspective and its free positive publicity.
Through the college, there'll also be opportunity to promote your commitment to staff development and training, especially during National Apprenticeship Week which runs every February annually.
Similarly, you can align yourself with academic and/or vocational work successes by sponsoring student awards and skills competitions.
Sometimes, other advantages present themselves when you're not even looking. Take for instance, the example of a regional airport who, through its long relationship with tourism and travel tutors at a local FE college, invited college students to help them run an open day.
This event gave senior airport staff chance to see how well the students engaged with visitors - and it led to one particularly impressive travel student being recruited practically on the spot!
In alumni testimonials, former students and apprentices often reference a college's strong links with local employers as the main reason they chose their course at that FE college over similar courses at other similar centres.
Word gets around and as a result of their comments, your business will become, in the minds of parents, teachers and learners, synonymous with offering 'real life' experiences.
Success breeds success too. An award-winning joinery student so impressed his employer with his attitude an aptitude while working for them part-time, that he was offered a level 3 apprenticeship. He also helped the business recruit another apprentice after recommending to them a promising fellow student from his college course.
If you'd like to play a more active part in skills building and forge lasting education/industry links, try reaching out to local FE colleges and universities and talk to your network contacts.
Many college courses rely on work experience placements, especially those with a strong emphasis on workplace-based learning such as T Levels. Placements are needed in a whole host of industry sectors from construction and engineering through to retail and finance.
Consider getting to know the head teachers at your local schools, as well and offer their pupils work experience. Schools are increasingly keen to give children aged 14+ an insight into the world of work, so they'll welcome your interest.
Supported by the UK government's Apprenticeship service, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) is made up of employers and former and current apprentices. Its key aim is to encourage more young people to take the apprenticeship route.
Employers as well as apprentices can become AAN ambassadors, giving their time for free to help influence and inspire stakeholders - which in the case of employers, can include their trade associations, employment bodies and supply chains.
There are many benefits for employer ambassadors, including the chance to connect with apprentices, share experiences with other employers, raise profile and enhance their employee base.
For further information on the AAN, go to https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/join-the-apprenticeship-ambassador-network-as-an-employer