The Power of IT Apprenticeships: Littlefish's Growth Story

In our most recent case study, we caught up with Alec Hughes, Head of Service Desk, and Rebecca Pawson, Learning and Development Lead, at Littlefish.

Littlefish has made apprenticeships a central part of its strategy to attract fresh talent, upskill their workforce and grow their team. Since embracing apprenticeships in 2019, Littlefish has supported over 20 IT Support apprentices.

Given their significant success with this strategy, we spoke with the team, who provided valuable insights into the positive and measurable impact apprentices have made.

Tell Us About Littlefish

Littlefish is an IT Managed Service Provider that focuses on high end user experience and employee enhancement. We provide high quality user centric IT support, enabling organisations to maximise value from their most valuable resource – their people.

We provide an end-to-end user focussed portfolio starting with our people-centric Service Desk, innovative and secure modern workplace solutions, and intelligent cyber security services. This is all supported by complementary cloud and professional services and strategic consultancy.

What Challenges Did You Face When Recruiting?

It’s no secret that the IT skills market is incredibly competitive. At Littefish, our approach has always been to hire second-line support technicians, allowing us to deliver a high-quality blend of first and second-line support to our customers.

Due to the shortage of talent at this level, we often had to recruit by attracting employees from their existing roles, rather than recruiting entry-level talent or career changers with limited experience

What Are The Advantages Of Hiring Multiple Apprentices At Once For MSPs?

We’ve found that planning a dedicated apprentice intake, rather than staggered hires throughout the year, creates a better experience for apprentices. They build relationships early on, as they’re all on the same journey, and they can support and learn from each other from day one.

Additionally, it creates a seamless induction experience and helps reduce our onboarding costs. Our typical onboarding programme lasts 6-8 weeks, so running a single programme for 10 apprentices instead of 10 separate ones is a cost-effective choice for us.

What Advice Would You Give To Other MSPs Considering A Similar Approach?

While not all apprentices are in the early stages of their careers, it’s important to acknowledge that those who are may need more mentorship and support than other employees.

Having a structured training programme that covers both technical and soft skills, along with coaching on professional expectations and behaviours, is crucial. We recommend implementing regular assessments and feedback loops to identify and address any challenges early on.

What Role Did Baltic’s IT Skills Bootcamp Play In The Recruitment And Preparation Of Apprentices?

The bootcamp proved highly effective in identifying strong candidates that aligned with our business needs, acting as a valuable screening process.

It offered a structured curriculum that spanned from basic IT fundamentals to advanced technical skills, while also providing opportunities for candidates to demonstrate key soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and adaptability—traits essential for success here at Littlefish. As a result, we were able to select candidates who not only met our technical requirements but also aligned with our company culture and values.

The bootcamp experience significantly streamlined our onboarding process. With apprentices having already completed extensive training and practical exercises, they were able to hit the ground running upon joining us. Their familiarity with industry-standard tools and methodologies reduced the learning curve, allowing them to integrate seamlessly into their roles.

Apprentices VS Traditionally Hired Employees

While our apprentices may start with less experience, their enthusiasm, drive, and eagerness to learn allow them to quickly overcome initial challenges.

By working alongside us and benefiting from Baltic’s comprehensive training programmes, they rapidly develop their skills. Our apprentices are exposed to the latest technologies and methodologies, ensuring they remain up-to-date with industry advancements.

This blend of hands-on experience and advanced learning equips them with highly relevant, targeted skills that align with the evolving needs of our customers’ IT landscapes, making them valuable contributors to the teams they join.

Have Apprentices Brought New Ideas, Perspectives & Skills To The Team? 

Our apprentices have successfully taken on entry-level tasks that were previously handled by more senior staff at a higher cost. This shift has allowed our senior team members to focus on more complex project work and service improvements.

Many of our apprentices have quickly developed their skills and have already transitioned into fully capable service desk engineers. In some cases, they are already performing almost all the duties of a traditionally hired employee, even before officially completing their apprenticeship.

This rapid upskilling highlights their ability to contribute meaningfully from day one, adding value to their team and the wider business.

How Have Apprenticeships Translated Into ROI for Littlefish?

Recognising the commitment and investment from the company in their learning and development and careers, our team members stay within the organisation for a longer period. A large percentage (>90%) of apprentices stay with Littlefish after their apprenticeship, with apprentices moving into more senior service desk roles and beyond into other areas of our business. This has massively reduced the disruption of turnover and we’ve seen a positive impact on our employee satisfaction.

Freeing up senior resources through adding additional junior staff has resulted in measurable improvements on contractual service levels. We regularly over-achieve on our core SLAs and KPIs, and our customer satisfaction score is now regularly NPS 80+ where 70+ is considered best in class.

Would You Recommend Baltic Apprenticeships?

Absolutely! The training and hands-on experience provided by Baltic have been incredibly valuable in preparing our candidates for real-world challenges. Their focus on both technical and soft skills ensures that apprentices are well-rounded and ready to contribute effectively from day one.

The support and collaboration from Baltic have made the whole process smooth and efficient. One of the things we really appreciate is their Be-Spoke offering, which allows us to select masterclasses and tailor them to the individual learning needs of each apprentice. This flexibility ensures that the training is relevant and closely aligned with our business requirements.

Partnering with Baltic has not only helped us meet our talent needs but also played a key role in the growth and success of our organisation.