Is your current training approach helping your team thrive – or just ticking boxes?
Picture this: Your most experienced employee is training a new recruit. They’re fitting it in between their own tasks, with no structured plan, no training experience, and no measurable outcome. It’s familiar, it’s flexible – and it feels free. But is it really working?
When it comes to developing a skilled, loyal workforce, relying on ad-hoc in-house training may be holding your business back. There’s a smarter, funded, and future-proof solution that can be used for new and existing staff, any age (over 16), for a variety of roles from customer service to management, and business administration – and it’s called an apprenticeship.
The In-House Training Trap: What’s the Real Cost?
Many businesses across the UK still rely on informal, internal training. It seems quick and easy – and often costs nothing on the surface. But in practice, this approach can lead to:
- Inconsistent skills and knowledge
- Staff feeling undervalued or unprepared
- Time lost by senior staff training others
- Compliance gaps that could cause serious issues
Without structure, qualifications, or a long-term plan, in-house training often fails to deliver the results your business needs.
The Risks of Informal Training
❌ Inconsistent Quality
Every trainer has their own style, experience, and approach – which means every new team member gets a different experience.
❌ No Formal Recognition
There’s no qualification at the end. That can affect staff confidence, motivation, and retention.
❌ Hidden Costs
Senior employees are taken away from their core roles to train others – which drains productivity and costs more than you think.
❌ Compliance Risks
Without expert oversight, crucial topics – like up-to-date legislation or industry standards – can be missed entirely.
The Apprenticeship Advantage
An apprenticeship offers all the training benefits you need – with none of the risk. When you work with a government approved provider like Poultec, you get a structured, funded training solution.
Expert-Led, Job-Relevant Training
Poultec’s tutors are subject specialists with vocational experience, ensuring training is accurate, engaging, and effective.
Government Funding Available
Find out more about government funding for apprenticeships on the official apprenticeships site.
Large Employers (Apprenticeship Levy Payers)
If your annual payroll exceeds £3 million, you will already be paying into the Apprenticeship Levy. This money goes into a digital account that you can only use to fund fund apprenticeship training.
Small and Medium Employers (Non-Levy Payers)
If your annual payroll is under £3 million, you don’t pay the levy, but you can still access government-funded apprenticeships.
- You’ll pay just 5% of the total training cost.
- The government funds the remaining 95%.
- You could receive 100% government funding for apprentices aged 16–21 or aged 22 to 24 with an education, health and care (EHC) plan provided by their local authority and/or have been in the care of their local authority.
- You could also benefit from levy share, where larger employers transfer unused levy funds to cover your training costs.
Nationally Recognised Qualifications
Apprenticeships follow approved standards and lead to accredited qualifications – making your team more skilled, more confident, and more loyal.
Built-In Compliance
Poultec handles all the paperwork, reporting, and quality assurance – reducing your risk and workload.
Support at Every Step
From recruitment and enrolment to reviews and achievement, you’ll have a dedicated support team ensuring success.
Side-by-Side: In-House Training vs Apprenticeship
| Feature | Informal In-House Training | Apprenticeship with Poultec |
| Cost | 100% employer cost | Up to 100% government-funded or levy funded |
| Quality | Dependent on individual trainers | Delivered by expert tutors |
| End Result | No formal qualification | Nationally recognised qualification |
| Compliance | Business responsibility | Handled by Poultec |
| Structure | Often ad-hoc and inconsistent | Follows a national standard |
| Support | May lack training experience and sufficient time | Dedicated tutor and admin support |
Why Employers Choose Poultec
At Poultec, we’ve helped many employers move from informal to structured staff development. Our clients consistently see:
- Stronger staff retention
- Faster skill development
- Increased team confidence
- Easier workforce planning
“As an organisation we currently have employees studying through Poultec on courses including Business Administration and ILM Management levels 3 and 5. The skills that the employees learn and bring back into their roles is amazing and as a business this route of study has been invaluable. Poultec has seamlessly enrolled and supported these students through their learning journey and I hope to be able to continue to educate and upskill my staff through this route for years to come.”
– Kelly Frosdick, Practice Manager, Wymondham Medical Partnership.
Ready for Smarter Training?
Stop the cycle of informal training and start investing in accredited, structured, and funded team development.
Explore our range of apprenticeship programmes.
Complete our free Training Needs Analysis or give us a call (01362 850983) to see how we can help your business grow through funded, structured training.
FAQs
Can my current staff do an apprenticeship?
Yes – apprenticeships aren’t just for new recruits. They’re ideal for upskilling existing employees in a structured, measurable way.
What’s the commitment for my managers?
Very little. Poultec handles all the admin and compliance. You provide on-the-job experience, participate in regular reviews (every 12 weeks), and we handle the rest.
