Press Release
‘Hard work ethos’ top trait for wannabe Apprentices
Apprenticeships are back on the map following the success of Alan Sugar's quest to find his perfect prodigy, but choosing the right apprentice can be tough and many factors need to be taken into consideration.
New research from Bibby Financial Services has highlighted that small business owners and managers believe a 'hard work ethos' (66%), confidence (61%) and attention to detail (59%) are the top qualities entrepreneurs should look for in finding the right apprentice, beating both experience (36%) and academic qualifications (21%). This suggests that if UK entrepreneurs had been in Alan Sugar's shoes last year, they may have been tempted to employ hard working Ruth Badger, or confident Paul Tulip over winner Michelle Dewberry.
If Britain's owners and managers were given the opportunity to employ one of The Apprentice contestants, over half (51%) would put them to work on generating new business opportunities. Whilst over a third (40%) would use them to exploit new products and markets, allowing the busy entrepreneur more time to concentrate on developing their business strategy.
David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, said: "Taking on an apprentice can bring great benefits to a small business, allowing owners to focus their energies on developing the business strategically and breathing new lifeblood into it. While an apprentice may not have formal qualifications behind them, many small businesses focus on more traditional work ethics such as a belief in hard work, a confidence in their abilities and a willingness to learn."
Taking on an apprentice is not without its fears and troubles. Over a third (41%) of owners and managers cited a concern that an apprentice would fail to perform and deliver measurable results, whilst 32% were anxious about the length of time it would take to train them in the chosen role.
A quarter (25%) of small and medium enterprises feared that if an apprentice was to leave the firm they would potentially steal clients from their business, and around one in five (21%) were concerned that an apprentice would take with them trade secrets.
