LSBU launches diversity in apprenticeship drive for National Apprenticeship Week 2020
LSBU launches a drive to encourage diversity in its apprenticeshipsLSBU is this week (3-8 February) marking National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2020 by launching a drive to encourage more applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to study for an apprenticeship.
LSBU currently offers a variety of apprenticeships with employer sponsors, across a range of sectors - from building services, engineering and chartered planning to nursing, screen skills, technical acoustics and digital marketing. This week the University has also been named one of the top 50 apprenticeship providers in the country.
Since apprenticeship schemes were first introduced at LSBU four years ago, the University’s record on achieving a diverse range of applicants has got off to a promising start, with 51% of all LSBU apprentices coming from a BAME/multi-ethnic background: 16% black, 27% Asian, and 8% mixed race. Of these applicants, 43% are female, working in typically male-dominated professions, such as building services and engineering, as well as typically female dominated professions such as healthcare (55%).
In 2019-2020, out of a total of 1600 LSBU apprentices, 38% degree/higher apprentices are women, with 28% studying for careers in architecture, building services and planning (17% in quantity surveying, 9% in engineering, 6% in architecture and 6% in chartered planning) with 7% in business management.
However, currently the proportion of women applying for apprenticeships in the building and construction skills sector is lower than for men. This is why - in keeping with this year’s diversity theme for NAW 2020, LSBU is highlighting those female apprentices who have opted to pursue a career in the typically male-dominated field of construction skills, in a bid to encourage more women to enter the industry.
LSBU student, Tahirah Tang-Campbell, 23, currently a second-year (BEng) trainee Structural Engineer on an apprenticeship with Waterman Structures Ltd, said: “An apprenticeship is so much more than just learning on the job… It’s a personal development opportunity that has enabled me to learn the trade by’ doing’, as opposed to reading from a text book.
“Many individuals get into apprenticeships early on in their careers with minimal or no theoretical or practical experience - or even life experience. Coming into an apprenticeship has allowed me to develop my interpersonal and communications skills and learn to adapt. You’re put into this real world work place with professionals in the industry. You have to be able to adapt to different ways of working, environments and people and be willing to learn, not only what’s necessary, but to understand the means behind it.
“I liaise with peers, clients and external individuals on a daily basis, which helps build my confidence. I plan to stay at Watermans as a structural engineer - hopefully becoming more site based in future.”
Alison May, LSBU’s head of Apprenticeships, said:“In 2020, it’s great to see LSBU’s apprenticeship offering going from strength to strength while appealing to an increasingly diverse pool of applicants - with more and more women and BAME applicants opting to work and study in typically white, male-dominated fields such as construction skills, building services, quantity surveying and engineering.
“With a total of 1600 LSBU apprentices currently enrolled with employers, the University has also made good progress towards hitting its target of 2000 apprentices by the end of 2020. But we can always do more to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to enter these professions.
“This is a very good start and it will be interesting to see how we continue to build the University’s apprenticeship offering in 2021.”
To mark NAW 2020, LSBU hosted a networking event for local employers, industry and Southwark Council, on Wednesday 5 February at the University’s Passmore Centre for Apprenticeships.
Read more about the range of apprenticeships LSBU has to offer, here.