Scientific Apprenticeship Conference 

Building a Sustainable Technical Pipeline: Apprenticeships in Research

We would like to invite you to join us at our Scientific Apprenticeship Conference. This event will be held on 15th May 2025 at the Wellcome Collection, Euston, London NW1 2BE.

The conference has three main aims:

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

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.

Register for this event

This is a free event funded by the Wellcome Trust as part of disseminating learnings and sharing resources with the sector.

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

The morning will focus on:

1- Driving a positive research culture:

Technician Commitment, Underrepresented groups in research careers and technical skills shortage.

Presenter: Nikolay Ogryzko - UKRI Talent

2 - Apprenticeship models:

a. Opening Doors: Alternative Routes into Technical Pathways via Apprenticeships by Dr Aline Tabib-Salazar and Dr Rachael Natrajan, The Institute of Cancer Research.

b. Working in Partnership - Delivering Quality Apprenticeships by Karen Capper, Senior Director, Microbiology Science & Technology, AstraZeneca.

c. Supporting Apprentices Beyond Completion: Career Development and Interview Readiness by Ailish Harikae, People & Organisational Development Consultant (Apprenticeships and Technical Staff Development), Imperial College London

3 - Discussing drivers and challenges of apprenticeships within research:

Facilitated by:

a. Karen Capper, Ailish Harikae and Dr Aline Tabib-Salazar will be running discussions on the topics they’ve presented (see section 2).

b. Dr Robert Chapman, Associate Group leader, Charles River. Points of discussion:

  • Breaking down preconceptions: Addressing and challenging stereotypes about what apprentices are capable of within the workplace
  • Exploring the benefits and obstacles of apprenticeship programmes

c. 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

The afternoon will focus on:

4 - Working in Partnership for Successful Apprenticeships:

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.

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.

Chair: Katie Dryden Holt, Vocational Skills Programme Manager, Royal Society of Chemistry

Panel discussion composed of:

a. Uzma Sadiq, Apprenticeship Manager at UCL and Lead of London & South Apprenticeship Network

b. David Willet representing Tiro Training provider,

c. Amie Langford, Apprenticeship Business Development Manager, Manchester Metropolitan University

d. Philippa Clark, Senior Client Development Manager, SRG,

e. Tyler Harvey-Cowlishaw, Chair of The Science Apprenticeship Forum.

5 - Networking Workshop 

For interactive discussions between conference delegates and invited speakers and facilitators

6- Conclusion, Call to Action, Collaboration:

a. Creating and sharing resources with the sector

b. Key takeaways and actions

An updated agenda will be uploaded nearer the date of the conference.

Register for this event