Benefits of apprenticeship for employers

Benefits of training an apprentice

Attract new talent and nurture your team

Offering an apprenticeship can help you inject fresh energy and new ways of thinking into your team. You’ll tap into a talent pool brimming with potential and diverse perspectives.

Apprenticeships are also a smart way to nurture the talent you already have. Offering your current employees the chance to progress their careers shows you’re invested in their growth. This increases morale and makes staff more likely to stay and thrive within your organisation.

Whether you’re hiring new staff or developing your current team, apprenticeships help you develop a motivated, qualified and skilled workforce, and build a culture that champions continuous professional development.

Applied learning from day one

By blending study days with on-the-job training, apprentices can take what they learn and apply it to their practice in real-time. In fact, our apprentices often tell us how valuable it is to put the learning from their lectures and research into action from day one, especially when they’re able to make a positive difference for patients. 

Address the health skills gap

If you train an apprentice at Sheffield, you’ll be able to leverage the University's world-leading research and industry-inspired curriculum to address skills gaps within your organisation. This benefits not just your apprentice, but your entire team. Apprentices effectively act as a bridge between academia and clinical practice, bringing the latest knowledge back to the workplace to upskill colleagues and improve patient care across your organisation. 

Throughout their studies, apprentices also develop essential leadership, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that they can apply to practice. This professional development allows them to make substantial contributions to frontline NHS services throughout their apprenticeship and beyond.

Funding

With both levy and non-levy funding available, apprenticeships are a cost-effective alternative to agency fees and the endless cycle of recruitment, allowing you to develop the exact skills your organisation needs.

Why choose the University of Sheffield?

• We’re delighted to have been rated “Good” in our latest Ofsted inspection, published in January 2025. The report highlighted our close links with industry and the outstanding behaviour and attitudes shown by our apprentices.
• According to the GOV.UK 'Find apprenticeship training' service, the University of Sheffield has been rated Excellent by Employers, and Good by our apprentices. Explore our feedback as a training provider here.
• In 2023 the University of Sheffield was one of only two universities to be awarded the Department for Education (DfE)’s University Expert Apprenticeship Provider status.
• Our achievement rate is an incredible 34% above the national average, with 86% of apprentices at the University completing their apprenticeships.
• We have a dedicated health apprenticeships team who are on-hand to support your organisation and apprentices. From support with funding and interviews to regular check-ins from our clinical educators, we’re here to help throughout the length of your apprenticeship.
• As well as our dedicated apprenticeships team, your apprentices can also access other University-level support services throughout their studies, including counselling and mental health support, our 301: Academic Skills Centre, and specialist disability and dyslexia support.