Save Some Cash: How Apprenticeships Can Save Your Hospitality Business Thousands in National Insurance

Let’s talk about a classic hospitality habit:“We need someone experienced.”Translation? Someone who can hit the ground running, fix everything instantly, train everyone else, never complain, and - ideally - accept slightly above minimum wage.

Ah yes, the mythical hospitality unicorn.

Here’s the problem: everyone else is looking for that exact same unicorn. And even when you do find one, they often arrive with habits, expectations, and ways of working that don’t quite fit your business. Suddenly your “solution hire” becomes… just another problem to manage.

There’s a saying often (mis)attributed to Einstein:“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.”

If your staffing strategy is stuck in that loop, it might be time to rethink the playbook.

The Overlooked Goldmine: Apprenticeships

Now before you roll your eyes and picture endless paperwork, think again.

Apprenticeships in hospitality aren’t just about “giving someone a chance.” They’re a strategic, cost-saving, culture-building move - especially when it comes to National Insurance contributions (NICs).

Here’s the key bit many operators miss:

👉 You don’t pay employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices under 25 earning under the threshold.

That’s not a small perk. That’s a serious financial lever.

Let’s Talk Numbers (Because This Is Where It Gets Interesting)

Imagine you hire a junior apprentice:

• Salary: £18,000–£22,000

• Employer NIC rate: ~13.8% (normally)

Without apprenticeship NIC relief:

You’d typically pay around £2,000–£3,000 per year in employer NICs.

With an apprentice under 25:

👉 That drops to £0.

Read. That. Again.

Now scale that across a hospitality business:

• 3 apprentices = £6,000–£9,000 saved per year

• 5 apprentices = Well, your grown adults, I'm sure you can do the sums here...

That’s not pocket change - that’s:

• A new piece of kitchen equipment

• Marketing budget

• Energy bill cushion

• Or reinvestment into your team

And that’s before we even talk about retention.

“But They Won’t Be Ready…”

Of course they won’t.

That’s the point.

Hiring someone “ready-made” feels easier - but let’s be honest:

• They come with habits from other kitchens or venues

• They might resist your systems (“That’s not how we did it at my last place…” yawn)

• They’re often already looking for the next step up

Meanwhile, apprentices:

• Learn your standards from day one

• Grow into your culture

• Bring energy and an outlook often reduced from grumpy managers

• Build loyalty because you invested in them

• Don’t bring baggage from five other head chefs

You’re not just hiring staff - you’re building your future team.

The Real Cost of “Experienced” Hires

Let’s flip the perspective.

That “experienced” hire might cost you:

• Higher salary expectations

• Full NIC contributions

• Recruitment fees

• Potential churn if they don’t settle

And worst of all? They might not actually fix your problems.

Because staffing issues in hospitality are rarely about one person. They’re about systems, culture, training, and consistency.

Throwing a “ready-made” chef or supervisor into a broken system is like putting a plaster on a leaking pipe.

Apprenticeships = Long-Term Strategy (Not a Quick Fix)

This is where smart operators win.

Instead of constantly firefighting recruitment, they:

• Build a pipeline of talent

• Develop skills internally

• Create progression paths

• Reduce reliance on expensive hires

Yes, apprentices take time.Yes, you’ll need to train them.

But here’s the twist:👉 You’re going to spend time managing staff anyway.

Would you rather:

A) Constantly retrain new hires who leave in 6 months B) Train someone once, properly, and watch them grow with you

Culture Eats Everything

My biggest shudder - is everything comes down to a business culture, great culture, passion from the top - equals great service and staff feel rewarded on every level - its often overlooked with SOP's and some bonkers made up spreadsheet of numbers they "need to hit"

There’s something else apprenticeships do that doesn’t show up on spreadsheets:

They change your culture.

When your team sees people being developed, supported, and promoted:

• Morale improves

• Loyalty increases

• Standards become shared, not enforced

Suddenly, you’re not just a workplace - you’re a place people want to stay.

A Bit of Chef Hub Wisdom

If you’ve ever followed Chef Hub-style thinking, you’ll know this isn’t about fluffy “people-first” talk - it’s about running a smarter business.

The operators who win in today’s hospitality landscape aren’t the ones chasing perfect hires.

They’re the ones building systems that make imperfect people thrive.

Final Thought: Break the Cycle

If your current approach looks like this:

• Struggling to recruit

• Overpaying for experience

• High turnover

• Constant frustration

Then it’s worth asking:

👉 Is this actually working?

Because if it’s not, going harder at the same strategy isn’t the answer.

That’s just… well, you know.

💡 AND if you do need a training toolbox for starting an apprentice in the kitchen - I've got you covered, from day to CDP I have it all laid out here 🤌🏼

The Bottom Line

Apprenticeships aren’t charity.They’re not a compromise.

They’re a financially smart, strategically sound way to:

• Save thousands in National Insurance

• Build a loyal team

• Reduce hiring stress

• Future-proof your business

So next time you’re about to write:“Must have 5 years’ experience…”

Pause.

And ask yourself:

👉 Do I need experience… or do I need potential?

If your biggest bug bare - is the lack of quality coming through the ranks, there is an opportunity to change that - from YOU, with a financial reward of 3 grand per person

🌪️ For this and many more ideas on how to save cash in your revenue, its in a FREE 14 page resource download - grab it here

Because one costs you more every year.

The other might just transform your business.