Blog: Should we look for more apprenticeships?

This week Channel Pro received the findings of a survey by CWJobs.co.uk which stated that 84 percent of IT professionals believe that apprenticeships are a good alternative to further education.

Despite this, just 47 percent of those surveyed believe that their company currently offers apprenticeships and 83 percent think not enough businesses offer them.

Avoiding the zeitgeist around all things ‘Apprentice’ (apologies to fans of Lord Sugar, Channel Pro is not a fan), there are a few channel companies already seeing positive results from taking on young people – school leavers and graduates – and training them up in the business. Mike Kelson at Atlanta Technology last week told us that the firm had a successful apprenticeship scheme in place and was looking to recruit further.

Elsewhere, Softcat’s headcount shot past the 300-mark this week, with the VAR promising to keep recruiting aggressively, mainly through its graduate recruitment scheme. The company also this year opened a London office with the aim of attracting promising graduates in the capital.

So while some channel firms are already harnessing fresh talent, and critically, improving their bottom line, let’s hope more follow take their lead and get recruiting.