As one of the Trailblazer practices that led the development of the Modern Apprenticeship Standard for Architecture, Scott Brownrigg are pleased to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2021.

From 8-14 February 2021 employers, apprentices and teachers are celebrating the diversity and value that apprenticeships bring to employers, apprentices and communities across the UK today.

We began our celebrations of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week by hosting a Peer-to-Peer learning session entitled 'From Apprenticeships to Diversity', curated by the Architecture Race Forum. The event, chaired by Aleks Paduch, Scott Brownrigg’s Head of People & Culture, brought together a number of architectural practices to share their learning on the topic of Architecture Apprenticeships and their potential to increase diversity in our industry.

Scott Brownrigg have been instrumental in developing, driving and promoting this alternative route into architecture. We are planning to run more peer-to-peer sessions this year focusing on the different aspects of Architectural Apprenticeships as well as collaborate widely with other practices to form support forums.

During the session Helen Taylor, our Director of Practice, provided an overview of the Apprenticeship scheme and how it came to be, from the early days of the Trailblazer Group to the current programmes offered by universities, particularly focused on Level 7. Associate Dagmar Binsted, one of our mentors, shared our experience of supporting apprentices including tops tips to consider, followed by speakers from other architectural practices who talked about their experiences. Oscar Watkins joined the session to talk about the London Progression Collaboration, a not-for-profit innovative initiative to create new apprenticeships to help Londoners to progress in work, including supporting smaller organisations with accessing the funding.

The speakers were joined by representatives from other practices in a discussion panel which explored how vital apprenticeships are in opening up the industry to wider and more diverse communities. The panelists explored the benefits of having apprentices on board, the different university providers they collaborate with, the highlights, as well as lessons learnt.

The event aimed to promote apprenticeships as a debt-free route for students to achieve their dreams of becoming a qualified architect and as an invaluable period of combined academic learning and practical work, whilst being mentored by experienced architects and building professional relationships and networks with colleagues, clients and the wider industry.

“It is our hope that through events like this other practices of all sizes will be encouraged to offer apprenticeships as a key element of their diversity initiatives which will help break the barriers to our industry and increase access to architectural education.”

Aleksandra Paduch, Head of People and Culture

Let’s make architecture more diverse, more inclusive and more open-minded together.