Businesses have been required to pay the apprenticeship levy since April, but survey by employment group Adecco has revealed limited appetite to recruit apprentices at the end of last year, reports City A.M.
In a survey conducted in December, one in four firms said they had never considered apprenticeships.
Many firms claimed either that the qualification was not suited to their business needs, or that supporting schemes would require too much time from the management team.
Adecco UK and Ireland president of group operation Chris Moore said: “These findings are worrying in light of the recent introduction of the apprenticeship levy.
“We need to be promoting the tangible workplace benefits that apprenticeships offer in terms of culture-fit and tenure.”
When the levy came into force, City A.M. reported that 63 per cent of firms had limited knowledge of the system.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for manufacturers association EEF told City A.M. little had changed.
“Although the system has now gone live we are still getting regular requests from members for information,” they added.
A spokesman for the British Chambers of Commerce agreed: “While it is still early days, there is still concern over the implementation of the apprenticeship levy.
“More needs to be done to ensure that all affected businesses are aware of the system and ensure the maintenance of quality in the provision of apprenticeships.”
