The near 900% increase in uptake of apprenticeships by those aged 60 and over, as reported by The Guardian on 14 November, has been welcomed by talent measurement and assessment provider SHL, pointing to the different aptitudes and strengths found when diverse hiring practices are in place.

SHL’s chief science office Eugene Burke tells Recruiter: “It is interesting to see that not only are the over 60s keen to re-skill themselves, challenging the stereotype that members of the older generation lack skills in ‘adaptability’, but also that organisations are actively seeking to employ more mature people to their workforce.

“Baby boomers and Gen Y, rather surprisingly, have complementary skill sets and actually many businesses could benefit from employing apprentices across the range to develop alongside one another; Gen Y can learn from the softer skills often present in the baby boomers and the over 60s can pick up an entrepreneurial spirit from their younger colleagues.”

Data from SHL suggests that while baby boomers are more likely to be effective team players and maintain good workplace relationships, Gen Y are more likely to have strengths in the area of entrepreneurial thinking.

The Guardian reports that business secretary Vince Cable has made it clear that he is “not overly concerned” with the diverse age range of those entering apprentices, even though less than a third of those allocated in 2010-11 went to those in the 16-24 age group, often cited as the prime target for such schemes.