Accenture Meet the Sponsor Profile 2020

Published 1st September 2020

Why do you feel so strongly about promoting and celebrating apprenticeships?

For many young people, university may not be the direction they can or want to follow when they leave school. Apprenticeships present a fantastic opportunity to build skills, earn a salary, sometimes even study for a degree – and above all begin a path to a fulfilling career. In the context of our industry, we want to ensure that bright young people from all backgrounds develop the specialist skills required to thrive in the digital economy. Our aim is to spread the word about STEM and create rewarding entry level opportunities to ultimately help more young people get the career they want in technology.

Why do you feel proud to sponsor the Recruitment Excellence category?

The Recruitment Excellence category highlights employers who demonstrate innovation in their recruitment processes, to ensure they have a diverse workforce. This is something we are passionate about, having transformed our own recruitment platforms and processes in recent years to introduce innovative technology that eliminates unconscious bias and ensures a level playing field for all applicants to be assessed on their potential. We are delighted to see and celebrate other employers taking action to do the same.

What benefits has your organisation seen as a result of employing apprentices?

From our perspective as an employer, welcoming apprentices has broadened our talent pool, which makes us more competitive as an organisation and expands our skills base. The integration of apprentices into the wide scope of our projects, and our clients’ acceptance of apprentices working on their projects, shows their ability to work at the same level as graduates and skilled staff, and the value they add. This clearly demonstrates how the apprenticeship programme is helping us to reduce our skills gap and build the workforce of the future. 

What message would you give to potential applicants?

If you are considering an apprenticeship and are wondering whether it’s right for you, there are so many ways to find out more. Talk to your teachers and careers’ advisors, and explore the programmes that employers are offering to discover what you’re curious about and what’s available in different sectors. If you decide to apply, demonstrate your skills and strengths to the best of your ability, and be yourself throughout the assessment process – it’s also your opportunity to find out if the employer is right for you.