Sharon has extensive experience working across the skills and employment ecosystem, connecting employers, education and training providers, government and regional stakeholders to create opportunities and improve outcomes. Her current portfolio includes Chair of the Pearson TQ Scrutiny Board and Associate – Regional & National Policy with the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), alongside consultancy work with organisations across the skills and employability sector, including Reed in Partnership/Mayor of London’s Office.
A passionate advocate for apprenticeships and alternative pathways, Sharon has been a Judge and Ambassador for the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards since 2016 and Head Judge since 2025. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals and the Royal Society of Arts.
She is committed to promoting inclusive access to skills, employment and progression opportunities for all.
As Group Head of Operations & Customer Experience at NOCN, Simon leads operational performance, customer experience and transformation across a diverse, international organisation. His experience of working with multicultural teams and stakeholders has given him a strong appreciation of the different perspectives, experiences and approaches that diversity brings to learning, skills and the workplace.
Simon is passionate about transforming traditional approaches into future-fit solutions and ensuring that apprenticeships and lifelong learning create meaningful opportunities for people from all backgrounds. He is particularly interested in how inclusive approaches to skills development can support individuals, employers and the wider workforce to thrive.
She joined Pearson six years ago through the Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship and now works as a Brand Marketing Manager.
Imani is passionate about championing vocational and technical routes, having experienced first-hand how an apprenticeship can change the trajectory of both your personal life and career. Her own journey to securing an apprenticeship wasn’t easy, which is why she cares deeply about supporting young people, particularly those from minority backgrounds, who want to explore these routes.
She is driven by a desire to create positive change, break down barriers and open up more opportunities for the next generation to thrive.
With close to 1500 apprentices in the Royal Signals enrolled across seven Standards, and with a new one on the horizon, Naveed is passionate about apprenticeships given the direct impact they have in providing a highly technical Workforce which is at a moments readiness to respond to UK Defence’s call to respond to crisis, both at home and overseas.
A dyslexic social entrepreneur, who was raised in South London, James watched talented people around him held back by a lack of access rather than a lack of ability. What began in 2011 as a grassroots effort became Generation Success, formally established in 2015. The organisation now works with employers to open doors for young people from underrepresented backgrounds through mentoring, employability programmes and direct access to industry.
Its flagship initiative, Open Your Doors Day, takes place every September, bringing young people inside employers' offices for a day of genuine exposure to the work, the culture and the people who do the hiring. Generation Success partners with organisations including PA Consulting, AlixPartners and National Wealth Fund.
James is a strong advocate for apprenticeships as one of the most direct routes into a meaningful career for young people traditional recruitment overlooks. He is proud to judge the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards and to help recognise the apprentices and employers showing what happens when talent is given a fair chance.
A former solicitor turned educator who helped pioneer the UK’s first legal apprenticeships, Jenny is a prominent voice in skills policy and a signatory on Kaplan’s behalf for the Financial Services Skills Compact. She is Co-Chair of the Association of Apprentices Advisory Panel, an FE Governor for a large college group, and leads on Kaplan’s WorldSkills UK Accounting Technician involvement. She keeps the apprentice voice front and centre of decisions, through chairing the Kaplan Apprenticeship Advisory Panel and mentoring former apprentices.
Seeing the positive impact of apprenticeships is her career motivation, and one of her favourite roles is acting as a judge of these apprenticeship awards, reading the inspiring stories of apprentices’ achievements.
Prior to joining NOCN Group, he worked in the Not-for-Profit sector and Higher Education institutions including the University of Cambridge and Sheffield Hallam University, where his roles focused on financial performance and sustainability.
She is very passionate about apprenticeships and technical education as a great tool to recruit new talent to the NHS but also as a way to upskill the existing workforce and offer career pathways and progression. She was delighted to be recognised for her "Outstanding Commitment to Diversity in Apprenticeships" at the awards in 2025.
Currently consulting with Estée Lauder Companies, Jasmine leads training for major transformation programmes across 25 luxury beauty brands, including Jo Malone London, MAC Cosmetics and Tom Ford Beauty.
Jasmine has advised on the development of the Digital Learning National Apprenticeship Standard, and has supported British Marine’s apprenticeship community for five years, leading their annual graduation, founding and judging the British Marine Apprentice of the Year Award.
She is also a Director of the Religion & Literacy Partnership, championing greater religious literacy in the workplace, including clients such as The House of Commons, in collaboration with 10 Downing Street.
Season 14 BBC's The Apprentice candidate, and an MBA graduate of Warwick Business School, Jasmine believes apprenticeships build skills, elevate potential and create life-changing opportunities.
Beyond his notable career in professional services, Damian has co-founded two impactful social enterprises and serves as the Vice Chair for the London Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. He is deeply committed to bridging the UK’s digital skills gap and creating pathways for individuals from underserved communities.
Damian’s dedication to advancing Inclusivity and Diversity within the Technology sector has earned him significant accolades. In 2022 he received his honorary doctorate in technology from the University of East London, for his work in information technology and his efforts to promote diverse voices in the tech sector.
Joanna Hughes Solicitor Apprenticeships advises law firms and in-house legal teams on the advantages of solicitor apprenticeships and assists employers to set them up. Joanna offers something unique because she is entirely focused on solicitor apprenticeships,
informed by her 25-year legal career at a large international law firm, her work launching solicitor apprenticeships there, and a deep knowledge of social mobility issues.
In her role as a Member of the City of London Law Society Training Committee, she is working with the Chair of that Committee to greatly increase the number of solicitor apprenticeship opportunities available in the City of London.
Joanna is a Patron of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance and has recently become a member of the UCAS Apprenticeship Sector Stakeholder Group, an Associate Ambassador for the London Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and a Partner at the Ladder for Greater Birmingham.
In addition, Joanna is Patron of GROW Mentoring and was appointed in May 2021 to join the Government commissioned taskforce to boost the socio-economic diversity at senior levels in UK financial and professional services, as a Working Group member.
Joanna is often asked to speak at events in the legal sector about legal apprenticeships, and in May 2023 will deliver the keynote speech at Legal Cheek LegalEdCon23.
Working in partnership with hundreds of colleges and employers, Mindful Education supports thousands of learners each year by providing a high-quality blended learning experience that enables people to take the next step in their careers.
Prior to setting-up Mindful, Mark trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte LLP, going on to become a Senior Manager at the firm. After seven years of advising and working with clients in London, Mark studied for a full-time MBA with Melbourne Business School, where he graduated with a distinction.
Ahmed has since gone on to compete in the WorldSkills Accounting Technician competition, progressing to the national finals where he will go head to head with sixteen of the UK’s top apprentices.
Beyond his own achievements, Ahmed is deeply committed to lifting others up. He has mentored over 200 students and shared his story with thousands of aspiring apprentices, serving as a passionate Apprenticeship Ambassador for the past two years. He currently chairs Lloyds Banking Group’s internal talent network, leading a team of 81 to deliver DE&I, social, mental health and wellbeing, charity, and development events to thousands of apprentices and graduates across the organisation, building the connective network that supports every apprentice across the Group.
Ahmed’s journey reflects the impact apprenticeships can have, not just on individual careers, but on the wider communities they reach.
She is a fervent supporter of the FE sector, particularly as it played a pivotal role leading to her first career at 18 as a medical secretary, enabling her to enter higher education as a mature student and then, a new career in the FE sector as a computing lecturer having completed an MSc in Artificial Intelligence and a PGCE.
Having served as the President of the Association of Colleges, Pat has had the privilege of representing the Sector shining a light on its impact, opportunities and challenges. Alongside her trustee role championing Further Education at UCAS she is passionate about the power of inclusion and partnerships that leads to positive impact for young people and adults, and their communities. This is exemplified in her trustee role at the Bethel Health and Healing Network that supports vulnerable pregnant women in Birmingham and most recently she became the Independent Chair of the Race Equity Taskforce appointed by the West Midlands Mayor.
For the last 8 years James has been working within the vocational qualifications team on commercial partnerships and employer engagement in support of product development. More recently James has worked on the UK apprenticeships strategy as well as projects in early careers and technology, and to support of the Pearson training provider TQ. Prior to Pearson, James worked in the sport and leisure industry for 15 years in workforce development, in partnership roles working with the funding agencies, governing bodies of sport, the fitness industry, universities, colleges and training providers.
Maia spends her weekend making content about Formula 1, explaining the technical and engineering side of the sport to a wide audience across social media, and occasionally sipping champagne trackside.
Charlotte has held senior leadership roles at OCR and has extensive experience across qualifications, assessment and apprenticeships. She is Co-Chair of the St Martins Group and a board member of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers.
As CEO, Charlotte is leading Lifetime Group’s strategy across its three businesses – Lifetime Training, Innovate Awarding and SkillTech Solutions – with a focus on sustainable growth, innovation, quality and delivering stronger outcomes for learners and employers.
In 2025, Ryan was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the West India Committee (FWIC) in recognition of his significant and enduring contribution to the organisation. In 2026, he was awarded an MBE in His Majesty The King’s Honours List for services to the Royal Navy, recognising his commitment to leadership, inclusion, and service.
Throughout her career, Nazma has worked closely with senior leaders, business stakeholders and external partners to deliver programmes that support skills development, social mobility and workforce diversity.
She is committed to ensuring that early career talent not only enters the workplace but is equipped with the confidence, capability and support needed to thrive.
Beyond programme delivery, Nazma is a strong advocate for inclusion and representation. She actively contributes to initiatives that promote equitable access to career opportunities and helps shape talent strategies that reflect the diverse communities organisations serve.
As a judge, Nazma brings a wealth of experience in identifying potential, recognising achievement and understanding the impact that high-quality apprenticeship and early careers programmes can have on both individuals and organisations. She is passionate about celebrating outstanding talent and sharing best practice across the profession.
With extensive experience in apprenticeship delivery, employer engagement and strategic business development, Nader has established a strong track record of helping organisations address workforce challenges through innovative talent development. He is particularly passionate about the Health, Medical & Social Care sector, recognising the vital role apprenticeships play in building a skilled, resilient and compassionate workforce capable of delivering exceptional care.
Throughout his career, Nader has championed the power of apprenticeships to transform lives, improve social mobility and create sustainable opportunities for people from all backgrounds. His work has focused on building long-term partnerships that deliver measurable value for employers while enabling learners to realise their full potential.
As a judge at the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards, Nader is honoured to recognise the outstanding individuals, employers and training providers who are driving excellence, championing diversity and inclusion, and demonstrating the profound impact apprenticeships have on businesses, communities and the wider economy. Representing Paragon Skills, sponsor of the Health, Medical & Social Care Award, he is proud to celebrate those who are shaping the future of the sector through innovation, commitment and outstanding achievement.
Having spent the majority of her career developing young talent at the start of their careers, her current remit fits perfectly with her passion to create opportunities to support the next generation of young leaders. As part of her commitment, Sharon strives to work with strategic partners who challenge organisation’s approach to under representation of young people across all communities and works to create a level playing field in the recruitment process that might unconsciously deselect from those groups.
Sharon’s dedication and commitment to CCEP’s apprenticeship programme has been recognised by CCEP’s leadership team, as well as her peers and apprentices alike. She has received praise for her outstanding leadership of the programme, which has continued to grow and expand in line with the business’ Early Careers agenda. As well as recognition from the leadership team, 2021 saw Sharon win the Forward Ladies Corporate Leader and the London Regional National Apprenticeship Champion awards and recognition in the Queen’s 2022 New Years’ honours list with an OBE for services to Apprenticeships and Skills. Outside of CCEP she is an active board member for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and recently become that Vice-Chair of Youth Employment UK’s board.
Throughout his 35-year career in the RAF, Khan has travelled all over the world - from Norway to Bosnia to Iraq to Turkey to Afghanistan - learning something new from each place he visited.
Sqn Ldr Khan currently works for the RAF’s Ethnic Minorities Recruiting Strategy and is a proud representative for the Armed Forces Muslim Association.
Kim designs apprenticeship programmes that provide high-quality learning experiences while enabling apprentices to develop professionally within their roles. Passionate about the value apprenticeships bring to both individuals and organisations, she has witnessed significant growth in the breadth and depth of AstraZeneca’s apprenticeship offering in recent years.
Kim is also committed to enhancing AstraZeneca’s reputation across the UK scientific and business communities. She chairs the Science Vocational Education Group, contributing insight and advice to the wider Futures Group—a collaboration between science employers, OLS, ABPI and BIA—and serves on several other industry bodies.
With a background in HR and psychotherapy, Kim lives in the North West of England with her husband, two sons and two dogs.
Paul has built a reputation for creating innovative solutions that improve candidate experience, strengthen employer brand and deliver measurable recruitment outcomes. His work has contributed to industry recognition, award winning programmes and significant improvements in employer rankings and engagement across the early careers market.
Alongside his corporate career, Paul is the Founder of Sovara Talent Advisory, supporting students through career readiness and international education initiatives, while also serving as Head of Commercial Strategy and Growth at Young Professionals. In this role, he is helping to build one of the UK’s largest student employability networks, connecting employers with emerging talent through national events, university societies, research and digital engagement.
Driven by a passion for creating opportunity, Paul combines strategic leadership, commercial expertise and authentic relationship building to help organisations and individuals achieve long term success.
With experience spanning schools, higher education, international education, apprenticeships and professional learning, Jo brings a broad perspective across the education and skills landscape. Her focus is on turning that experience into practical responses to the changing world of work, connecting learning more closely to careers, organisational capability and economic opportunity.
She is passionate about ensuring that advances in AI and technology translate into better opportunities for people, and that employers have the skills and confidence to turn technological change into meaningful impact.
Throughout my career, I have developed experience across recruitment, onboarding, talent attraction and people leadership. My focus has always been on connecting people with meaningful career opportunities.
Apprenticeships and early careers programmes are a particular passion of mine, and I strongly recognise their role in developing future skills, supporting social mobility and creating opportunities for individuals and communities.
Over the past 6 years, she has led programmes across the apprenticeship sector, including work with the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and initiatives focussed on widening participation and social mobility. She has played a pivotal role in developing the Moving On Up Network, supporting more than 700 organisations to explore how they can better support care experienced young people into apprenticeships.
Charlotte is passionate about raising aspirations, championing inclusion and helping young people from all backgrounds to thrive through apprenticeships and achieve their career ambitions.
Faith works strategically with main contractors, local authorities, educational institutions, professional bodies and supply chains to embed inclusive recruitment, community engagement and ESG principles into industry practice. Alongside DIIC, she serves as Head of Business Development (Southeast) at Prima Systems, driving regional growth while integrating ESG, PAS 2030 and community impact into infrastructure delivery.
Previously working with global media organisations including CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera, Faith brings powerful storytelling to industry transformation. She is an award-winning speaker and advocate for equity, responsible growth and lasting cultural change.
