The Benefits of Employing an Apprentice in a Small Business

Case Study: Paula Davies, Apprenticeship Employer, Coastal Radio DAB

Business Background

Paula Davies is the owner and founder of Coastal Radio DAB, a local radio station serving the Blackpool area. As a small and growing business, Coastal Radio operates with a lean structure: Paula is the sole permanent employee, supported by freelancers across programming and on-air content. As the business expanded, Paula identified a clear need for administrative support to help manage day-to-day operations and growing event activity.

Why Hire an Apprentice?

Paula decided to employ an apprentice to fill an administration skills gap within the business. She describes hiring her apprentice, Kiera, as “a godsend.” For a small business owner juggling multiple responsibilities, having an extra pair of hands who could learn the role while contributing immediately made a significant difference.

An added advantage was the fresh perspective Kiera brought into the business. As a young apprentice, she introduced new ideas and approaches, offering a different viewpoint that helped the business evolve. Paula highlights the value of this youthful influence, describing it as refreshing and beneficial for a growing organisation.

Adding Real Value to the Business

Being able to assimilate new information and processes quickly has allowed Kiera to work independently. consistently delivering high-quality work without repeated instruction. This reliability has helped streamline operations and improve efficiency.

Kiera has also played a key role in keeping the business organised. In a fast-paced environment where Paula is balancing sales, client relationships and strategic growth, having an apprentice who manages administrative tasks and provides reminders has freed up valuable time. This has allowed Paula to focus on what she does best: selling the business, building relationships and driving revenue.

Rather than hiring a salesperson, Paula chose to employ an apprentice in an administrative role, enabling her to remain outward-facing and grow the business more effectively.

Supporting Skills Gaps

The apprenticeship has been particularly valuable in supporting skills gaps during busy periods, such as organising large-scale events. Coastal Radio runs major local initiatives including the Local Hero Awards and Local Business Awards, both of which require detailed planning and coordination.

Kiera provides essential administrative and event-planning support, helping keep timelines, communications and logistics on track. Paula notes that without this support, managing these events would have been extremely challenging for a small business.

Benefits for the Apprentice

While the apprenticeship has brought clear benefits to the business, it has also provided Kiera with a wide and varied skill set. Through her role, she has gained experience in administration, bookkeeping, profit and loss reporting, event planning, and using specialist systems for broadcasting and website management.

Looking Ahead

Paula is a strong advocate for learning on the job and believes apprenticeships offer an excellent way to gain qualifications while developing practical skills. While Coastal Radio is currently a very small business, Paula would consider using apprenticeships to upskill staff in the future as the business continues to grow.

Describing Kiera as indispensable, Paula hopes she will continue with the business beyond the end of her apprenticeship.

Conclusion

Paula’s experience highlights the key advantages of employing an apprentice in a small business: filling skills gaps, improving organisation, freeing up leadership time and bringing fresh ideas into the workplace. For small business owners looking for a cost-effective and impactful way to grow their business, employing an apprentice can be a highly valuable investment.