10 years of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards

M was for Multicultural. U was for Unity.

The Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards 2025 marked a significant milestone – a decade of progress, purpose, and people. For the first time, the Awards took place in the heart of our capital, London, signalling a bold step forward in expanding our reach and resonating with even more communities, partners, and changemakers across the UK.

The atmosphere was electric. Over 780 guests came together, united in mission, representing the very best of what apprenticeships can achieve when fuelled by inclusion, aspiration, and collaboration. This wasn’t just an event; it was a celebration of a movement that started ten years ago with one simple truth: more must be done.

Back then, apprenticeships were still misunderstood – too often promoted as a plan B, as something you could “still do well from,” as though it were a second-class choice. We knew that had to change. We believed in apprenticeships as not just the beginning of careers, but the building blocks of a better, more inclusive society. So, we started talking. And to this day, we still say: everything starts with a conversation.

This year’s awards received over 500 nominations. We proudly shortlisted 152 apprentices, 44 employers, 14 learning providers, 8 universities, and 8 schools. Every nomination told a story – of resilience, ambition, and the powerful impact apprenticeships have in shaping lives and communities.

From overcoming adversity to transforming industries, the winners reflected the best of who we are and who we can be. People like Isha Ahmed, crowned Apprentice of the Year, whose work in architecture and relentless advocacy for diversity and mentorship inspired everyone. Or Aliea Mahmood from Great Ormond Street Hospital, who pioneered the UK’s first AI model for predicting kidney failure. These stories reminded us why we began – and why we must continue.

Over the last decade, we’ve engaged with over 3,000 apprentices, 500 employers, and 100 learning providers. These numbers reflect more than participation; they represent a collective commitment to equity, growth, and a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. That future, we believe, is shaped not just by policy but by people. Role models. Mentors. Allies. Changemakers.

We celebrated apprentices not just as learners, but as leaders. As the brand. As the voices that carry the message forward. Because when apprentices speak, people listen. When they’re given a platform, things happen. Change happens.

We were joined by figures who have helped pave the way – including representatives from DFE, AELP, GLA and many of the Skills and Employability Influencers and Leaders – who continue to champion the importance of talent and inclusion in UK PLC. They remind us that apprenticeships aren’t just about jobs; they’re about national renewal, social mobility, and economic resilience.

This year we also celebrated the evolution of our own movement. What began as an award ceremony is now a thriving ecosystem. Our platforms – from the Multicultural Apprenticeship & Skills Alliance and the Festival of Apprenticeships, to the Apprenticeship Branding Conference and the Multicultural Apprentice Network – all work together like a purposeful flywheel, inspired by the Disney model: when each part reinforces the others, momentum builds and impact multiplies.

10 years of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards

We rebranded to better reflect this growth – evolving from the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance to the Multicultural Apprenticeship & Skills Alliance, acknowledging the shift from the Apprenticeship Levy towards the Growth and Skills Levy, and the broader needs of the skills landscape.

To our sponsors and supporters – thank you. Your belief and backing made this possible. You’ve championed inclusion, opportunity, and progress not just in words, but in meaningful, lasting action. You are pioneers. You are making a difference.

To the organisations not yet involved: this is your invitation.

Join us. Become a patron of the Multicultural Apprenticeship & Skills Alliance. Support the Multicultural Apprentice Network. Engage with the Festival of Apprenticeships. Contribute to the Apprenticeship Diversity & Social Mobility Forum. Stand with us at the Apprenticeship Branding Conference.

Let’s build an ecosystem that reflects the UK we aspire to be – inclusive, united, and unstoppable.

Because apprenticeships don’t just change careers. They change lives.

Because role models matter. Because everything starts with a conversation. Because more  is yet be done.

And together, we can do it!

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