There's never been a better time to hire an apprentice.  

Apprenticeships are a great way to recruit talented staff and train them to your way of working. They're also a great option for upskilling existing staff. And since the apprenticeship reforms were introduced, there's more choice than ever before. Higher and degree-level apprenticeships are available across the country and employers can even develop their own standards.  

It's all good news for employers – but how do you actually go about hiring an apprentice?  

Well, whether you pay the apprenticeship levy or not, the process is basically the same – it's just the funding that's different. To clear things up, we've explained our top 5 ways to find a great apprentice:  

1. Choose an apprenticeship

The first thing you have to do is decide which apprenticeship fits your training needs. The easiest way to do this is to log in to the Government's find apprenticeship training portal. There, you can search by job role or keyword and see what training providers in your area deliver that course.  

2. Decisions, decisions

The next thing you need to decide is whether you want to deliver the training in house or partner with a provider. To be able to deliver an apprenticeship, you'll need to register on the RoATP – so we only recommend this option if you're planning a large apprenticeship programme across your company. If you choose to partner with a provider, they'll help you find the right apprentice for your business.  

3. Recruit in house

The perfect apprentice might be closer than you think! You can offer apprenticeships of all levels to train your staff and develop the skills you need. The new higher and degree apprenticeships are perfect for filling high-level skills gaps and developing the future leaders of your business. 

4. Advertise the role

If you'd prefer to hire new staff, you can advertise your apprenticeship like any other job. If you partner with a training provider, they'll be able to help you recruit too.  

5. Head hunt

Don't just wait for talent to come to you – head to a recruitment fair. It's a great way to speak to prospective apprentices, and it's a much more personal approach than sifting through CVs. You could even partner with local schools and colleges to find the best young people for the role.  

Now you know how to hire an apprentice, you need to know what to expect when you do hire one. In this free guide, you'll find out everything you need to know about hiring an apprentice – including the responsibilities, benefits, funding and support available.