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Ayesha leads the way: a case study of BME apprentice success
Recently, the Guardian published an article highlighting that young people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities are struggling to get an apprenticeship. In the same article, Jeremy Crook, director of the British Training and Enterprise Group, is quoted as saying a national under-representation of BME apprentices down to employer attitudes, amongst other reasons. What is also worrying for him is that the Government is reducing funding for programme-led apprenticeships which is where he says BME young people are concentrated. Instead, they favour employer-led apprenticeships which are at the mercy of employer attitudes, good or bad. Ergo an employer who has a discriminatory attitude will tend to not employ apprentices from BME communities.
75,000 new apprenticeships
On the bright side, amidst drastic public sector cuts, the Government has pledged funding for a further 75,000 apprenticeships. On Merseyside, we know apprenticeships can help individuals break through stereotyping and social deprivation to achieve success. Our learning providers are mindful of the barriers that these young people face, so put the right support in place, leading to many BME apprentice successes. With more apprenticeship positions being funded, it’s important to promote these case studies as inspiration for other young people from BME communities, and highlight how these apprentices can be assets for businesses.
Ayesha's success
One such trailblazer is Ayesha, 22, a GMLPF employee for the past six years. As assistant administrator, Ayesha helps manage the office, communications and events. Originally from Toxteth, a recognised deprived area, Ayesha began an apprenticeship in business administration with Training Plus merseyside (tpm) at 16. She completed level 2 and level 3 qualifications through tpm’s comprehensive programme of training and tailored support whilst working for GMLPF. The skills and qualifications she achieved with tpm helped her recognise her own strengths and worth as an integral member of the team at GMLPF where her opinions and contributions are valued. Ayesha’s confidence and self-belief grew so much that with the support of GMLPF, she enrolled at university, the first member of her family to go into higher education. She’s now approaching the end of her first year on a BSc (Hons) in Business Management at Edge Hill University with flying colours. Her future shines.
Apprenticeships as routes into HE
So not only is Ayesha a success story for the BME community, she’s also a perfect example of how apprenticeships can lead to higher education. As such, she was recently asked by Edge Hill University to talk to prospective students about her experiences. As a young, successful BME person, she also features as a case study for the Network of Black Professionals (NBP). The NBP highlights how GMLPF has supported Ayesha’s ambition and given her opportunities to develop.
Employers benefit too
As an organisation, GMLPF has benefitted hugely from Ayesha ’s personal development. This is a key point. Consider those additional 75,000 apprenticeships: employer buy-in is crucial. It’s not just that employers arguably have a responsibility to create opportunities for young people from under-represented groups, it’s that their organisations will, like GMLPF, benefit from the skills, creativity and motivation that these apprentices bring.
An inspiration for other young people
Ayesha reflects on her choice of leaving school and going onto an apprenticeship:
“I believed that an apprenticeship in business administration would open more doors for me, and it has. I’m excited about my career and my future. An apprenticeship gives a young person the opportunity to shape their own success regardless of the difficulties they may be experiencing in other areas of their life. I feel great about how I’ve developed as a person over the last 6 years. If other young people feel inspired by my story, then that’s an achievement I would be proudest of.”
More BME case studies
Please let Ayesha know if you have examples of BME apprentice success on Merseyside.
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