Comment: Apprenticeships can benefit all involved

The value of apprenticeships has long been apparent to Travel Weekly and our sister brands, which have successfully welcomed several new recruits in recent years.

One of those new starters is currently completing her apprenticeship while working alongside Atas director Claire Brighton, while others are already established in our digital content and finance teams.

Changes to apprenticeships over the past decade mean they are no longer the preserve of young people, with team members of any age and experience able to tap into fresh learning opportunities.

And with funding available both for larger companies that contribute via the apprenticeship levy and smaller firms that don’t, it really is something that all business owners and managers should consider.

The government used this week’s National Apprenticeship Week to announce a “reduction in red tape” to encourage greater take-up, and it is positive to hear of growing momentum in travel, even if some experts say opportunities are still being missed.

At last year’s Travel Weekly People Summit, one of the most popular sessions featured a panel of young people who spoke passionately about the benefits of apprenticeships.

It was an exciting discussion as it shone a light on an incredibly bright future for the speakers and the companies they represented.

But it also served as a reminder that apprenticeships are a two-way street, with these new starters often offering fresh perspectives on how businesses operate and reach customers. If your company is yet to explore the opportunities apprenticeships can offer, I would suggest now would be a good time to start.