AQA launches Early Careers Programme

Published: Friday 22 Oct 2021

We’ve launched an Early Careers Programme to build a more diverse, inclusive, and skilled workforce.

The programme will support our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and widen the opportunities available to work with AQA, and focus our attention on less-well-represented groups.

We want more women in senior management, greater ethnic diversity across our departments, more people from different social backgrounds and to make sure that people from LGBTQ+ communities and people with disabilities feel welcome and supported.

The Early Careers Programme will create roles for apprentices and graduates. Apprentices will sit at the heart of our technology and people teams, and graduates will work across key assessment and business areas.

We've partnered with TheTalentPeople who are experts in apprentice and graduate recruitment and focus on equality, diversity and inclusion. They'll also provide additional support and coaching to help candidates navigate the application process whilst learning more about AQA and our culture.

Our first eight apprentices and graduates will join us in January 2022, with more joining us in September 2022 as the programme continues to grow.

Shabnam Shahani, AQA’s Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development, said:

“I’m delighted to announce our Early Careers Programme that will help us to create a more diverse, inclusive, and skilled workforce.

“It’s so rewarding to take direct positive action and attract new people from different backgrounds. Our exciting plans to become the UK’s pre-eminent educational assessment organisation depend upon our ability to attract and retain outstanding people. The Early Careers Programme forms an essential part of this strategy.”

As part of the programme, colleagues from our Empowering Women network attended the recent Women in Tech event to help other woman interested in technology find the right route for them.

See all updates