UK Boardroom Apprentice Welcomes 67 Organisations as UK Host Boards For 2025 Programme

67 organisations from across the UK have been confirmed to join UK Boardroom Apprentice 2025 as Host Boards providing a safe seat at the table for aspiring board members to learn. These include charity and public sector organisations.

The 12-month board learning, development and placement programme enables those who would like to serve on a public or third sector board to learn and gain the experience that they need to take that step. 438 individuals across the UK have embarked on their personal journey to serve on a public or third sector board since its inception in 2017.

Boardroom Apprentice founder Eileen Mullan said: “Boardroom Apprentice was created to deliver diversity, create change, and realise aspirations.

“Our vision is simple – to bridge the gap between aspiration and reality. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to be placed with a host board for a year to learn how they can bring fresh perspectives and diverse thinking to boardrooms across the UK.

“Over a twelve-month window, Boardroom Apprentices will get practical board experience, a suite of learning days and support to fully equip them to serve on a board in the public or third sector in the future.

Open to those aged 18 or over from all backgrounds and all abilities, the programme seeks to enable a wider diversity of individuals to play their part within boardrooms, allowing those without board experience to enhance their knowledge and understanding through in-depth learning and support.

Applicants of UK Boardroom Apprentice 2025 will have the opportunity to select from 27 new Host Boards and 40 that are returning.

Joining the programme for the first time is NHS Education for Scotland (NES), a leader in educational design, delivery and quality assurance. Utilising the very best in technology enabled learning, organisational and leadership development, workforce and learning analytics and digital development, across the entire health and social care workforce and in every community in Scotland, NES helps to facilitate staff to be supported, skilled, capable, digitally enabled and motivated to deliver improved outcomes.

David Garbutt, Chair of NES Board explained why they decided to get on board with the programme: “We are interested in attracting someone based in Scotland who will increase the diversity at our Boardroom table, from a younger person’s perspective.

“We wish to reflect the voice of young people across all our work, given we develop education and learning for everyone from school age to retirement. We feel this will bring very helpful additional dimensions and insights to our governance meetings.”

Another new host board joining the programme for the first time is the Government Actuary's Department. GAD is a non-ministerial department providing actuarial advice and support to the government and public sector, helping its clients to understand and analyse financial risk and uncertainty for a wide range of contemporary issues.

Les Philpott, Chair of GAD Board said: “We are excited to join the Boardroom Apprentice Programme because we offer the opportunity to develop and expand skills and expertise in corporate governance and strategy development in a unique non-Ministerial Department with changing horizons, in exchange for the fresh insights and wider experience a Boardroom Apprentice will bring to our Board.”

One of the returning boards is Theatre’s Trust, the national advice and advocacy body for the UK’s theatre buildings supporting all forms of theatres, whether old or new, commercial, subsidised or community-run.

Director of the organisation, Jon Morgan, said: “As an organisation, we can learn by having people with different experiences and backgrounds joining us and feeding into our discussions and thinking.

“We would urge other organisations to take part - widening participation in boards has so many benefits and the programme means you are connected with people who may not otherwise be aware of your organisation.”

Returning for a second year as Host Board are Legal Services Board. The board oversee the regulation of legal services in England and Wales, and make sure that regulation is performed in the public interest and that consumers are at the heart of the system.

Representatives of LSB explained what benefits they experienced by joining the programme: “We would strongly recommend it. It’s mutually beneficial for you and for the apprentice. We’ve really enjoyed the experience as a Host Board – it’s been enriching.

“Our approach was for the apprentice to have both an executive and a non-executive buddy, which worked really well.”

Applications for UK Boardroom Apprentice 2025 close on Monday, 18th November at 4pm.

For more information on the UK Boardroom Apprentice and a full list of Host Boards go to boardroomapprentice.com/uk and to find out more about how to apply, go to boardroomapprentice.com/how-to-apply