Women's Career Progression through Apprenticeship Programs

Women's Career Progression through Apprenticeship Programs

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Unleashing Women's Potential in Leadership Roles

International Women's Day once again shines a light on the fact that we need to accelerate progress in terms of women's representation in senior positions, particularly at C-Suite level. The United Kingdom has made some progress toward the informal goal of having 40% of board roles occupied by women, but the overall picture remains patchy and unstable. A significant portion of the media coverage leading up to March 8th concentrated on the ongoing challenge of the "broken rung" – a term used to describe the pattern that persists in many UK organizations of women's careers lagging behind those of their male counterparts from the very first-level managerial appointment.

The First Promotion Matters

Research published annually by McKinsey & Company indicates that, in 2024, for every 100 male, first-line leader appointments, only 89 white women were appointed. It's even more concerning that the figures for the promotion of women of color are around half of those for white women. While there are variations between sectors and occupational groups, these high-level figures reveal a deep-seated and structural issue. The talent pool is being diminished right from the earliest stages because fewer women are being recruited into those critical first-rung promotions.

Tackling Diversity at Its Root

Diversity policies will not yield the results they aim for unless they address the structural pattern of the "broken rung." We firmly believe that the advanced apprenticeship program has the potential to be a powerful and effective intervention if used strategically to advance workplace equality. Excitingly, we've seen organizations doing just that, particularly in the leadership and management sector.

While apprenticeships are not a new concept, they are often associated with the post-16 vocational route in many people's minds. However, the increase in the number of advanced apprenticeship standards has opened a career pathway for those already in employment in various professional areas, such as project management, improvement, and "people professional" areas. Many of these advanced apprenticeships also offer parallel accreditation through professional bodies like the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

"We see large numbers of workers—often from marginalized communities—benefiting from this alternative route to higher education. For many, the apprenticeship is not just a professional opportunity but a way to overcome barriers that have historically held them back." - Dr. Hari Mann, Dean of Ashridge and Academic Director of Apprenticeships at Ashridge

A Strong Foundation for Future Leaders

The Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager apprenticeship serves as a prime example of how advanced apprenticeships can offer a unique, low-cost opportunity to redress the balance. This standard provides an excellent foundation for anyone embarking on a first-line management career or identified within the talent pool as future management and leadership potential.

It offers an integrated learning experience, covering vital interpersonal and functional skill sets highly sought after by employers and frequently in short supply within the labor market. Key areas of focus include relational skills, organizational skills, project management, technology, and resource management. Essentially, it provides a sturdy foundation for anyone who is perceived to be a potential future manager/leader or is already in a first-line functional management role.

For women aspiring to build a career, it can serve as a dedicated pathway as part of a broader career development strategy. Moreover, it can be promoted as an opportunity for men and women, ensuring equal participation and focusing on the underrepresented, such as women and people of color.

"I chose the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager as part of a development program since I was approaching leading a department. Coming from an engineering background, modules such as Team Management & Leadership gave me the soft skills I needed." - Francesca Altamura, Level 5 Class of 2023

Partnering with Pioneering Organizations to Empower from Within

We are collaborating with forward-thinking organizations that use advanced apprenticeships to diversify their workforce and specifically to advance women in roles previously considered non-stereotypical for them. These include financial services, construction, engineering, and more. These firms have also leveraged the apprenticeship alongside other career development interventions such as stretch opportunities, which involve women at an early stage in their careers taking on leadership roles in major projects or business challenges.

"At Travis Perkins, 38% of the management apprenticeship cohorts identified as female compared to 12% who joined through traditional entry-level routes." - CMI Research

Other client organizations, such as healthcare providers, have used the apprenticeship to provide a career pathway for women into higher-status professional roles. For example, the apprenticeship has supported women in care worker roles to progress toward becoming qualified nurses or allied health professionals, significantly increasing retention, work satisfaction, and personal growth while also leading to access to higher earning levels.

If you are interested in learning more about our apprenticeship portfolio, please visit our website or get in touch with us today.

Data collected represents 300 learners who completed a senior leader apprenticeship before June 2024.

Added Insights:

Advanced apprenticeships in Leadership & Management provide numerous benefits that can significantly contribute to addressing the underrepresentation of women in senior roles. These benefits include:

• Access to Leadership Training: Addressing Barriers and Tailored Programs
• Mentorship and Support: Networking Opportunities and Building Confidence
• Addressing Unconscious Bias: Diverse Recruitment and Focused Development
• Career Progression: Clear Career Pathways and Practical Experience
• Empowering Role Models: Visible Leadership

In summary, advanced apprenticeships in Leadership & Management play a crucial role in overcoming barriers for women and enabling them to succeed in managerial positions. These programs offer targeted training, mentorship, career development opportunities, and networking that can help women advance their careers and break the "broken rung."

1. The research from McKinsey & Company shows that in 2024, for every 100 male, first-line leader appointments, only 89 white women are appointed, and the figures for the promotion of women of color are around half of those for white women – revealing a deep-seated and structural issue in the "broken rung" pattern.
2. Advanced apprenticeship programs, like the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager apprenticeship, can serve as a unique, low-cost opportunity to redress the balance in career development, providing an excellent foundation for first-line management careers and identified future management and leadership potential.
3. Excitingly, some organizations have leveraged advanced apprenticeships to diversify their workforce and specifically to advance women in roles previously considered non-stereotypical for them, such as financial services, construction, engineering, and healthcare.
4. These firms have also used the apprenticeship alongside other career development interventions, such as stretch opportunities, which involve women at an early stage in their careers taking on leadership roles in major projects or business challenges.
5. In health-and-wellness and women's health sectors, the apprenticeship has provided a career pathway for women into higher-status professional roles, supporting them in progressing toward becoming qualified nurses or allied health professionals.
6. By providing targeted training, mentorship, career development opportunities, and networking, advanced apprenticeships in Leadership & Management can help women advance their careers, address unconscious bias, build confidence, and break the "broken rung" in international business and careers.

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