As the Legal sector continues to evolve, embracing apprenticeships is emerging as a strategic move, fostering growth, diversity, and excellence. Legal apprenticeships represent a paradigm shift in the way individuals enter the legal profession, offering an inclusive and dynamic alternative to traditional university routes.

Why be an apprentice?

University isn’t for everyone. There is the burden of student debt to deal with. According to the UK Government’s own statistics, students who started their course in 2022/23 will have an average debt of £45,600 by the time they complete. But being wary of committing to such a long term financial burden isn’t the only reason for eschewing university; many people prefer the idea of a more experiential learning journey over a purely academic one. They want to get stuck in as soon as possible.

Of course, it has to be acknowledged that apprenticeships aren’t where we find the big bucks. While some employers pay a reasonable wage, others stick to the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices of £5.28 per hour (age 16-18 or 19+ after you have completed your first year of apprenticeship). But, on the plus-side apprentices will gain real experience in working in the legal profession as well as having at least 20% of their time dedicated to training and studying towards their End Point Assessment and any other qualifications they may take to support their career, which also counts as payable time.

If an apprentice undertakes the Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship, they will come out with, on average, two years’ experience of working in the legal sector, as well as a certificate that they have achieved the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to successfully complete their apprenticeship.

In many other cases they may well have also achieved another recognised qualification alongside their apprenticeship, such as the NALP Level 3 Certificate for Paralegal Technicians and can therefore be eligible for membership to a Professional Membership body, such as the NALP Paralegal Technician membership.

All of this serves to increase the apprentice’s market value when looking for a permanent position in the legal sector or when negotiating their advancement at the organisation where they undertook their apprenticeship.

What’s the benefit for Employers?

There are a number of reasons for employers to look into getting an apprentice rather than just employing a recent graduate as a trainee.

There is the obvious cost saving. A graduate is likely to expect a much higher wage than the basic National Minimum Wage. Whilst we are certainly not advocating for all employers to pay as little as possible for their staff, it is a consideration in these days of rising costs affecting businesses, particularly small ones.

There is also the fact that taking on a paralegal apprentice is not just restricted to a law firm. Many organisations these days have their own legal teams as a way of reducing what they spend on legal advice and a paralegal apprentice can be a great way to get some help for the team whilst also training an enthusiastic individual and giving them some real-world experience in the workplace.

There are some general business benefits too. According to the Government’s statistics, 86% of employers found that apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation, 78% said they improved productivity and 74% said they helped improve their overall service. Employing apprentices has also been shown to improve the image of an organisation.

At the end of the apprenticeship, the organisation has an employee who has achieved a recognised qualification (the End Point Assessment, plus any others that may be complementary to the apprenticeship, such as the NALP Level 3 Certificate for Paralegal Technicians). Plus, they have someone who has been trained to that organisation’s specific needs. They will know the culture and standards of the organisation and already be an experienced member of the team. 

Of course, we can’t forget the fact that apprenticeships attract Government funding. How much funding can be dependent on the apprenticeship standard itself and the size of the business. Larger organisations with salary bills of more than £3 million will be paying an apprenticeship levy of 0.5% of their annual salary expenditure. Otherwise, employers pay 5% towards the cost of training and assessing their apprentices.

Summary

Apprenticeships can be a prefect start to a career in a dream profession.  They also allow employers to benefit from a talent pool that is not only well-trained but also familiar with the organisation’s culture and standards. This synergy enhances productivity and efficiency, setting the stage for a harmonious work environment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Robson is CEO of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), a non-profit membership body and the only paralegal body that is recognised as an awarding organisation by Ofqual (the regulator of qualifications in England). Through its Centres around the country, accredited andrecognised professional paralegal qualifications are offered for those looking for a career as a paralegal professional.

Web: http://www.nationalparalegals.co.uk

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