Apprenticeship programmes boost diversity and inclusion in the workforce

Anna Morrison CBE

Director & Founder, Amazing Apprenticeships

Diversity and inclusion is a hot topic among many organisations, as employers increasingly recognise the value of having teams with individuals from different backgrounds and the benefits this can bring to the workplace.

Apprenticeships provide a fantastic way for employers to recruit and develop talented individuals. They can nurture career progression and support those apprentices to work, gain new skills and achieve qualifications.

Inclusive apprenticeship programmes attract and retain

There are different ways employers can help achieve greater diversity and inclusion through their apprenticeship programmes. They can attract recruits from a diverse range of backgrounds and provide ongoing training development to existing employees.

Raising awareness to reach more people

Many employers are reinventing their school outreach programmes and recruitment campaigns, thinking creatively about different ways to engage with schools and communities to share information about their apprenticeship career opportunities.

Many will utilise their existing apprentices to share their personal stories and inspire future apprentices while demonstrating how inclusive and welcoming their organisation is.

Employers are taking great strides tosupport their apprentices to stay and succeed in their apprenticeship programmes.

Recruiting differently for accessibility

Employers are also reimagining their recruitment processes. Many employers have abandoned some of the traditional processes that might put people off from applying. They, instead, use methods that encourage all applicants to demonstrate their talent and potential.

Removing entry requirements, providing interview questions in advance and offering reimbursement for travel to the interview are some of the new techniques that are becoming well-established.

Support and progression for increased success 

Employers are taking great strides tosupport their apprentices to stay and succeed in their apprenticeship programmes. They utilise technology to identify and address the additional support needs of those learners and develop internal practices to ensure that apprentices are supported to progress — potentially through to degree apprenticeships at levels 6 (equivalent to bachelor’s degree) and level 7 (equivalent to master’s level).

Investing in the future for retention

Apprenticeships are an investment, not just in salary and training costs but also in the investment of time that an organisation makes to develop and nurture that apprentice to achieve their full potential. The ripple effect of this is that the whole organisation becomes invested in the success of the apprentice, resulting in increased motivation, teamwork and retention.

More forward-thinking workforce

Thoughtfully designed apprenticeship programmes can deliver incredible results for employers, helping to identify, attract and develop diverse talent pipelines into their organisation, providing a robust way to meet the training and development needs of their future and existing workforce.