Industry committed to diversity in apprenticeships

The government-backed Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN) has announced a growth in organisations joining its membership network and committing to apprenticeship diversity.

The news makes for a reassuring signal that the talent pipeline is changing and will now comprise greater breadth, depth and diversity – which is needed at a time when new skills and new ways of working are increasingly required.

With many organisations within the network key to delivering major projects across the globe, and members of the APM Corporate Partnership Programme, including the Royal Air Force, BBC and Siemens, this news is welcomed by APM, the chartered body for the project profession.

Commenting on the news, APM’s education manager Caspar Bartington said:

 The demand for world-class project professionals is growing rapidly in every sector. It is vital we help our employers meet this demand by promoting our profession to those from a range of backgrounds, to reflect the diverse customers we serve.

We hope the government’s announcement encourages more people from under-represented groups, including those with disabilities, women and members of the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, to consider apprenticeships – including in project management – whether they are leaving school or college, looking to upskill in their company or have a change of career direction.

We also hope that members of our recently-established APM Apprenticeship Ambassador Network will support this initiative – particularly this year when we are looking forward to the launch of an integrated degree apprenticeship in project management.   

The pace of change today is increasing and we are committed to matching that pace. The projects we envisage to be tomorrow’s challenges are here today and we must encourage and welcome everyone who wishes to tackle the exciting opportunities available.

Science Minister Sam Gyimah recently committed £38 million to projects that will help developing countries tackle big issues like disaster relief and disease control, while growing the UK’s share of the global space market to 10 per cent by 2030, posing a thrilling career opportunity for many with benefits that will save lives.

However to succeed in these projects we must have the right people in place and in training now.

Helen Grant MP and chair of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network, commented:

Apprenticeships offer a real ladder of life-changing opportunity to individuals, allowing each to reach their full potential through committed employment and earning whilst they learn. It is crucially important that these opportunities are made available to people of all backgrounds.

Each employer who joins our network is sending out a loud message to other employers and individuals about the transformative impact apprenticeships can have on business, engendering loyalty and delivering the bespoke skills required for their workforce.