Swindon & Wiltshire News
Don’t treat apprentices as a cheap hire, warns Swindon expert
A Swindon apprenticeship expert has warned employers not to view apprentices as a ‘cheap hire’.
With National Apprenticeship Week approaching, Ashlea Fisher, founder and managing director of iRecruit4 is sharing a more honest view of apprenticeships, shaped by what it sees working with employers and candidates every day.
Apprenticeships are often talked about as a solution to skills shortages and rising hiring costs. And when they are set up properly, they can work very well. But from a recruitment point of view, they are still widely misunderstood, and that misunderstanding can cause problems on both sides.
Ashlea Fisher, founder and managing director of iRecruit4, works closely with businesses bringing apprentices into their teams. She said apprenticeships can be one of the strongest ways to build talent, but only when expectations are clear and realistic from the start.
“Apprenticeships work best when everyone understands what they are signing up to,” Ashlea said. “Where things fall down is when they are treated as a quick fix or a cheaper hire, rather than a long-term investment.”
National figures show apprenticeship starts in England rose to more than 350,000 last year, with participation also increasing. For Ashlea, that growing interest is encouraging, but it does not always reflect what happens day to day once an apprentice starts in a role.
In her experience, employers often underestimate the time and structure needed to support an apprentice properly. Many expect someone new to reach the level of an experienced hire far too quickly, without allowing space for learning, mentoring and development.
“Pressure on employers plays a big part,” Ashlea said. “Businesses are juggling workloads, margins and staffing challenges, and the time needed to train someone can be overlooked. When that happens, frustration builds and the apprentice often feels it first and they can be told they are taking ‘too much time’ when in fact, everyone needs to start somewhere and everyone learns at a different pace.”
Ashlea also hears regularly from apprentices themselves. Many start out keen and motivated, but that enthusiasm can drop when training lacks structure or feedback is limited. From the employer’s side this can look like a poor attitude, while from the apprentice’s perspective it often feels like a lack of direction.
She points to a recent example where the team worked with a local business where an apprenticeship did not work out, despite strong signs early on. Attendance slipped, deadlines were missed and engagement dropped, even after extra support was put in place. The issue was not ability, but readiness and understanding on both sides.
By contrast, she has also seen apprenticeships succeed when expectations are clear from day one. In one case, an employer invested time early, assigned a mentor and built regular check-ins into the working week. Progress was slower at first, but steady, and within six months the apprentice was contributing confidently and taking on more responsibility.
“For me, the difference is always preparation and commitment,” Ashlea said. “When apprenticeships are planned properly and supported consistently, they can be incredibly effective for both the business and the individual.”
As National Apprenticeship Week approaches, Ashlea hopes more employers will take time to reflect on how they are using apprenticeships and whether they are really set up to succeed. For her a company needs to the right mindset and culture to create loyal and engagement employees from apprentices.
“For businesses willing to play the long game, apprenticeships remain one of the most effective ways to build a strong, loyal workforce,” she said.
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 9 to 15 February 2026 and celebrates apprenticeships and skills across the UK.
Recent Department for Education data shows apprenticeship starts in England reached 353,500 in the 2024 to 2025 academic year, with participation also rising.
