BUSINESSES in the West Midlands are being encouraged to champion apprenticeships for small businesses with a new initiative being launched as part of National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from next Monday until Friday.

About 99% of all businesses in the UK are small businesses yet the proportion of them taking up apprenticeships is less than 10%, less than half that of larger companies.

To encourage greater take-up among the small business sector, apprenticemakers, an online peer-to-peer mentoring community, has been developed. It is hoped that by providing easy access to other businesses who have already done it, that more small businesses will recognise the benefits to employing apprentices and allay their fears.

A recent survey found that the main reasons why employers struggle with recruiting an apprentice - particularly for the first time - were a lack of understanding about the potential routes to funding (64%), where to recruit an apprentice from (41%), how to support their long-term contribution to the business (33%) and how to ensure they deliver a return on investment (28%).

The same survey, which was conducted among business owners from around the country who had already hired apprentices within their companies, also found that would-be apprentice employers could benefit from regular engagement with individuals such as themselves but 85% felt that the biggest hurdle would be knowing where to find such support.

Apprenticemakers is intended to provide the opportunity for small businesses to connect with companies at various stages of the apprenticeship journey to share experiences, ask questions and be inspired about their future as an employer of apprentices.

It is hoped that by enabling business owners to connect with organisations which have already benefited from bringing apprentices into their companies, it will help break down some of the barriers currently preventing more small businesses from taking on an apprentice.

Developed by National Apprenticeship Service in conjunction with Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), Apprenticemakers comes on the back of a Government-commissioned review looking at why there is such low take-up of apprentices across the SME sector.

The report author Jason Holt, chief excecutive of Holts Group of Companies, which has, for several years, employed apprentices across its retail jewellery business, concluded that more peer-to-peer support was needed if more small businesses were to take the plunge and employ apprentices.

It is the findings of that in-depth review that heralded the launch of Apprenticemakers.

Mr Holt said; “Despite SMEs making up almost all of the total number of businesses in the country, the proportion of take-up of apprenticeships is less than half that of larger companies. If we can break down some of the barriers and encourage more SMEs to look at taking on apprentices, the impact would be significant.

"Apprenticemakers enables those considering becoming an employer of apprentices to access independent advice and valuable peer-to-peer mentoring from individuals who are already committed to supporting apprenticeships within their own businesses.

“Apprenticeships really deliver for small businesses.

"Hiring apprentices helps businesses grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce and, for the apprentices, an apprenticeship is a way for them to earn while they learn in a real job, gaining a real qualification and a real future.”

Small business owners can access support through Apprenticemakers at apprenticemakers.org.uk, including the rea- life experiences and knowledge gained from those already employing apprentices, as well as being part of an online community sharing best practice.

Throughout National Apprenticeship Week, employers can also pledge apprentice job vacancies and will be taking part in events to highlight how great apprenticeships have helped their businesses.