Scientific Apprenticeship Conference

Building a Sustainable Technical Pipeline: Apprenticeships in Research

We are delighted to host this event, bringing together representatives from various organisations who work closely with science apprentices. The conference will be held on 15^th of May 2025 at the Wellcome Collection, Euston, London NW1 2BE.

The day is structured to enable diverse perspectives and rich discussions, capturing different stages, challenges, and best practices in apprenticeships, as well as providing ample networking opportunities. Places are limited, so to join the waiting list, registrations are now open.

The conference has three main aims:

Driving research culture to be more welcoming to apprentices and ensuring the sustainability of the technical talent pipeline.
Supporting organisations that offer technical apprenticeships by discussing best practices and challenges with industry leaders, such AstraZeneca, Imperial, UCL, and Charles River.
Fostering collaboration between higher education institutes, research institutes, and other scientific employers to create a cohesive and supportive ecosystem for apprenticeships.

This event is funded by the Wellcome Trust as part of ICR’s Institutional Research Culture Award ‘Strengthening Career Pathways for Technicians’.

Location: Wellcome Collection, London. NW1 2BE.

Time: 10 am to 4 pm

Audience: Apprenticeship scheme managers, managers of individual apprentices, Talent Development Managers.

Two apprenticeship students working in the lab

Agenda:

9:15 – 10:00 am	Arrival and Breakfast
10:00 – 10:10 am	Welcome Remarks: Neil Walford, Deputy Director Organisational Development, The Institute of Cancer Research
10:10 – 10:30 am Theme: Driving a positive research Culture	Opening Address: Dr Nikolay Ogryzko, UKRI Talent Title: Technical careers, national capability, and inclusive cultures Summary: Technicians, technical specialists and technical professionals are mission critical to research and innovation, though we face significant challenges in how we can grow and support such a key part of our workforce. Addressing these challenges through a range of interventions, including determining the best ways to support apprenticeships, can increase the quality, reliability and impact of our investment and support us to make the biggest difference we can.
10:30 – 11:15 am Theme: Apprenticeship Models	10:30: Dr Aline Tabib-Salazar, Programme Manager and Dr Rachael Natrajan, Group Leader, The Institute of Cancer Research Title: Opening Doors: Alternative Routes into Technical Pathways via Apprenticeships 10:45: Karen Capper, Senior Director, Microbiology Science & Technology, AstraZeneca Title: Working in Partnership - Delivering Quality Apprenticeships 11:00: Ailish Harikae, People & Organisational Development Consultant (Apprenticeships and Technical Staff Development), Imperial College London Title: Supporting Apprentices Beyond Completion: Career Development and Interview Readiness
11:15 – 11:35 am	Refreshments and networking
11:35 – 12.35 pm Theme: Drivers and Challenges of Apprenticeships within research	You will have the opportunity to join a table discussion on topics of interest with representatives from over 20 research institutes, higher education institutions, industry leaders, funding bodies, Skills England, and training providers. There will be around 5 to 6 tables. The first part of the session is a 30-minute discussion led by our facilitators, followed by a plenary session. Facilitated by: Karen Capper, Ailish Harikae and Dr Aline Tabib-Salazar - They will be running discussions on the topics they’ve presented above. Dr Robert Chapman, Associate Group leader, Charles River. Discussion points: Breaking down preconceptions: Addressing and challenging stereotypes about what apprentices are capable of within the workplace Exploring the benefits and obstacles of apprenticeship programmes Robert Ramsay, Strategic Board for Skills Advancement. Discussion points: Best Practices for Retaining Apprentices in Research Organisations Creating Effective Mentorship and Development Opportunities for Apprentices Supporting Apprentice Employability Post-Study
12:35 – 1:35 pm	Lunch and networking
1:40 – 2:40 pm Theme: Working in Partnership for Successful Apprenticeships	Panel discussion: Whether you are new to apprenticeships or looking to enhance your existing programme(s), this panel discussion will provide valuable insights and support. You will hear from representatives of employer and apprentice networks, professional bodies, and training providers who will give an overview of how they can support both employers and apprentices. Chair: Katie Dryden Holt, Vocational Skills Programme Manager, Royal Society of Chemistry 1:40: Part 1: Each Panel member will give a brief overview of what their organisation does to support employers/apprentices (3 – 5 min per member). Uzma Sadiq, Apprenticeship Manager at UCL and Lead of London & South Apprenticeship Network David Willet, Non-Executive Director, Tiro Training Ltd Amie Langford, Apprenticeship Business Development Manager, Manchester Metropolitan University Philippa Clark, Senior Client Development Manager, SRG, Tyler Harvey-Cowlishaw, Chair of The Science Apprenticeship Forum. 2:10: Part 2: Panel members will address some of the concerns raised by delegates when they registered for this event, as well as take questions from the floor.
2:40 – 3:20 pm	Refreshments and Networking Workshop for interactive discussions between conference delegates, speakers and facilitators. Facilitated by: Neil Walford, Deputy Director Organisational Development, ICR Suraiya Rasheed, EDI manager, ICR
3:20 – 4:00 pm Conclusion	Closing remarks and next steps 3:20: Dr Anne Rowan, Mixed-Methods Researcher, Advance HE Title: Key takeaways from the day Dr Aline Tabib-Salazar and Mr Neil Walford, ICR 3:30: Interactive session on sharing resources with the sector and Actions 3:50: Closing remarks