Apprenticeships

Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion into early talent attraction and recruitment

^{Embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion into early talent attraction and recruitment}

At the core of Investment20/20 is the ambition that every business attracts, develops, and retains talented people from all backgrounds. For ten years, we have supported businesses to embed equality within their talent attraction and recruitment strategies, to achieve greater diversity and inclusion.

With an FCA discussion paper on diversity and inclusion expected imminently, it is important that businesses have access to resources to support them on their EDI journey.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) recently launched their EDI toolkit, providing guidance to employers on the steps that they can take to embed EDI into recruitment. IfATE’s following guest article introduces the toolkit to our Investment20/20 Newsletter readers.

^{Guest article from The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education – Apprenticeships, diversity, and the EDI Toolkit}

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) strives for a technical education system where everyone, no matter their background, can access the highest quality apprenticeships and technical qualifications.

In March 2023, IfATE published its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, setting out the actions IfATE is taking as an employer, a decision-maker and an influencer within wider policy making to unlock the full potential of the nation’s workforce. It also published an EDI toolkit, full of honest analysis and practical advice on how to make a difference.

The toolkit contains detailed guidance on four protected characteristics: age, disability, race and sex. It highlights key data and sets out steps that employers can take to ensure that their apprenticeship schemes are more inclusive as well as explaining the benefits of doing so. There is also further guidance on social mobility and other protected characteristics.

There is clear evidence that diversity brings benefits to employers as well as employees. These include employers accessing the widest possible talent pool, supporting inclusive cultures, and improving employee retention rates. Additionally, research shows improvements in financial performance, reputation and winning new business contracts.

Apprenticeships are a great way to support EDI. In particular, they can support social-mobility by widening the options to enter professional careers. Higher level and Degree apprenticeships are now offered in professions such as law, accountancy and medicine. We need to make sure people from all backgrounds learn of those opportunities and are able to successfully apply. The toolkit shows that considering where jobs are advertised and making small adjustments, for example by supporting apprentices with travel costs, can make a difference to successfully recruiting and retaining apprentices.

Businesses are encouraged to support T Levels, the new technical qualifications for 16–19-year-olds which includes significant work placements and employer set projects. These provide opportunities for students to gain valuable workplace skills, learn more about their sector and offers employers the opportunity to build the talent pipelines for their future workforce.

It’s important to work together to ensure that apprenticeships, and technical education more broadly, are viewed as fantastic training opportunities for all. This includes increasing awareness of the opportunities available so that everyone can make choices that are right for them. We therefore encourage employers hiring apprentices or offering T Level placements to have a look at the EDI toolkit and strategy to support a better technical education system.

^{Guest article, The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.}

Investment20/20 will be examining this topic further in our Skills Briefing on Thursday 29 June, 9am – 10.30am, held at T.Rowe Price in the City of London. Come along to hear from Youth Futures Foundation on youth employment and diversity, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education on their EDI toolkit, and case studies on ‘what works’ from J O Hambro Capital Management, Fidelity International and T.Rowe Price. Sign up now for ‘Embedding a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion into early talent recruitment’.

For more information on how Investment20/20 can support businesses to attract, develop, and retain talented people from all backgrounds please contact Gina Griesel or Juliet Leith.