Apprenticeships can enhance your business and motivate your team. They offer real business benefits, both to you as an employer and to your staff.

Even in these uncertain times, they increase the skills and knowledge of your workforce as a whole.

Choosing to be an apprentice allows you to learn the job from the off, building up knowledge and skills and gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time.

Joanne Bell, 24, pictured, was working for Hammonds Chartered Accountants in Beckenham as an accounts clerk when she decided to train to become an accountant herself and took an apprenticeship with the company, attending college one day a week at Orpington College to attain the necessary exams.

She explains why an apprenticeship was right for her: “I wanted a course that would give me a qualification to back up the experience I had already gained in the accountancy industry. I’ve been an accounts clerk since September 2005, but I knew I wanted to work for myself, and to do that, I need to be qualified.

“I chose to study at Orpington College as it’s in a good location. I was most impressed with how helpful and informative the staff were.

“It was great to work with tutors who had a genuine desire for me to succeed and who were happy to spend as much time as I needed going over things which helped me to fast track the course.

“Studying gave me a great deal of confidence in myself, and my tutors were a great source of inspiration.

“At college, I studied on the AAT accounting courses from level 2 up to level 4, and I am now in the process of fulfilling my ambition to be self employed.

“I aim to continue to build my client base along with my knowledge and ensure that I am providing the best service I can.

“When I have enough work to warrant it, no doubt I will take on an apprentice of my own!”

If you are interested in becoming an apprentice, the college can offer help and advice and also help you find an employer.

Business initiative Getting started with an apprenticeship programme is easier than you think!

Orpington College’s advisers can help you make the right decisions for your business by supporting you to organise the apprenticeship programme and provide you with a recruitment service if necessary.

If you are a business, call the college to discuss your recruitment and training requirements and find out how your business can benefit from an apprenticeship.

l Telephone 020 8295 7070, email apprenticeships@ bromley.ac.uk or visit bromley.ac.uk/ apprentice ships