Ben Rowland, co-founder of Arch, the UK’s leading digital and IT apprenticeship programme, is calling on more large employers to look to apprentices to fill their growing vacancy pools.
The call comes after new research from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) revealed that nearly one quarter (23%) of all graduate vacancies had been left unfilled, as employers struggle to find the right candidates.
Stephen Isherwood, chief executive of the AGR, said: “There are still unfilled graduate vacancies as employers are not always able to find the right people, with the right knowledge, skills and attitudes, for the job.”
Ben Rowland pointed to employers’ growing demand for Arch’s apprentices as an indication of the value that apprentices can bring. He said: “We are filling 30-40 vacancies every month through apprenticeships in the IT and digital industries. Employers like Google, Facebook, The Guardian and Barclays are all using apprenticeships as an alternative source of talent to complement and enhance their normal hiring routes.”
