Further education and early careers leaders gathered on Tuesday evening (11th June) at Birmingham’s Millennium Point to discover the highly anticipated shortlist for this year’s Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards in partnership with Pearson.
Organised by the Pathway Group, attendees were welcomed with an opening speech from the awards’ founder and Pathway Group CEO Safaraz (Saf) Ali.
Awards founder Safaraz Ali with Martyn Leader from Pearson
“We’re here to make a difference and make a meaningful difference. We like to think these awards reach a cause that maybe other awards can’t, and part of that is because of the people who have joined us on this journey. We wouldn’t be here today without the support of our sponsors, our ambassadors, and our judges.”, said Saf.
Martyn Leader, vice president of Pearson TQ shared this sentiment, saying “Pearson’s a passionate believer in equality and diversity. We think that’s a cornerstone of any successful sustainable business that seeks to grow. These awards shine a light on the winners and nominees. Those who’ve been selected for the finals are blazing a trail for others in their communities, and that needs to be recognized. We’re really proud to play a part in that.”
Apprentice of the Year 2023 Joseph Lennox
As special guest for the event, last year’s Apprentice of the Year Joseph Lennox from HMRC spoke of the impact the win has had on his career over the past eight months. Having since been invited to Downing Street on numerous occasions and keynoting at the Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) in front of 1200 people, Joseph reflected, “The Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards has opened up that platform which means I can reach more people and I am truly grateful for that”.
This year the awards received a record-breaking number of nominations, with over 450 apprentices, employers, and learning providers put forward. This was reflected by the awards’ largest shortlist to date, with 142 apprentices, 46 employers, 14 learning providers and 8 universities making it through to the finals.
Promoting social mobility, diversity, inclusion and equity, The Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards aims to showcase those who are working hard to overcome adversity and achieve their goals through apprenticeships.
Founded in 2015, over the past nine years the awards have been able to recognise over 2,000 outstanding apprentices from diverse backgrounds across the UK.
The event was also streamed online, with hundreds of viewers tuning in live to join in with the celebration.
Winners will be announced on Friday 1st November at The Vox Conference Venue at Resorts World, Birmingham.
To view the full shortlist visit: https://multiculturalapprenticeshipawards.co.uk/shortlist-2024/
