MULTICULTURAL APPRENTICSHIP AWARDS DAYS AWAY

THE biggest night of the year for apprentices, their employers and training providers, is just days away.

The first Multi-Cultural Apprenticeship awards will be at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on Friday, November 4.

More than 120 apprentices have been nominated and as the night unfolds the category winners will be revealed and finally the evening will climax with the announcement of the Apprentice of the Year.

The Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards aims to showcase talent and diversity within multicultural communities through the celebration of those working hard to overcome adversity to achieve their goals through apprenticeships.

These awards highlight the achievements of apprentices and the contribution of employers and learning providers who have assisted them along their journey.

Starting in 2016 it began as the Asian Apprenticeship Awards and evolved into the BAME Apprenticeship Awards before being relaunched this summer as the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards.

Its remit has been broadened to represent the wider minority ethnic community.

“The awards have evolved in line with a changing world, but the core purpose remains the same,” said Safaraz Ali, founder of the awards and chief executive of the Pathway Group, a national skills and employability provider.

“Our purpose is to raise awareness of apprentices and celebrate the best of them. In doing this we hope to increase the take up of apprenticeships by people from minority communities.

“Bringing this all together is a huge job and I thank everyone involved, the team of organisers, the judges, the employers, the training providers, Pearson and our other sponsors and most of all our wonderful apprentices.”

The photograph shows Safaraz Ali at the launch of the Multicultural Apprenticeship awards at the Pearson office in London in the summer.