Diversity in apprenticeships

Ideas. Culture. Energy. Learning.

Diversity is a crucial ingredient in our multicultural society – but how we think about diversity still needs to be challenged. We need to promote inclusion across the education sector to ensure everyone has equal opportunities to learn and grow. Diversity is an important topic that's often overlooked, but there are loads of companies, ceremonies and individuals doing what they can to promote diversity in apprenticeships.  

To celebrate this, we thought we'd shine a spotlight on some of our favourites, and spread awareness about what you can do to promote diversity.  

Our first example is living proof that diversity fuels innovation. Chris Achiampong – former Arsenal youth player and face of the GetInGoFar movement – is a young black man of African descent, and now an apprentice with IBM. Throughout his life, Chris was always encouraged to go to university, but he actually turned down his place at uni when he discovered the IBM apprenticeship programme – and has never looked back. He's an inspiring role model and strong advocate for apprenticeships – we all need to take a leaf out of Chris's book and promote apprenticeships for everyone.  

Our next proud pioneer is the Asian Apprenticeship Awards. The awards were launched last year to raise the profile of apprenticeships in the British Asian community. On the whole, ethnic minorities are encouraged to go to university over apprenticeships, and only 4.1% of apprentices in 2015/16 were British Asians. Spurred on by these shocking statistics, the Asian Apprenticeship Awards aim to address the stigma surrounding apprenticeships in British Asian communities by celebrating the very best apprentices, learning providers and employers across the sector.

Want to do your bit to promote diversity in apprenticeships? 

Find out how you can get involved here.