The main challenges for former Boardroom Apprentices being appointed to public sector boards are the priority given to applicants with more years and seniority of experience and specific expertise, and challenges for younger applicants, with substantial work and family commitments, to find the time required to complete application processes and serve on a public sector board.
‘Prior to Boardroom Apprentice I was passed over for five applications. One of the recruiters told me that to be on a board I needed to have boardroom experience. Asking how I could get experience without anyone giving me an opportunity was responded to with shrugged shoulders.’
‘Time-consuming and lengthy application process.’
‘Some individuals are tremendous and end up as chair of a public sector board, but some don't come through to the public sector and stay in a comfort zone in the voluntary/community sector.’
The main challenges for the future of Boardroom Apprentice are sustaining commitment, support and funding to deliver the programme and sustaining the flow of high quality Boardroom Apprentices.
‘With an ever-decreasing budget, government might say, ‘no we can't afford to run the Boardroom Apprentice programme’. My challenge back to them would be, can you really not afford to run it because if you need the calibre of people coming through with the training and the understanding then you really have to keep it going.’
The main opportunities for the future of Boardroom Apprentice are the ongoing need for a pipeline of new board-ready members with the right skills, training and understanding of governance, to bring greater diversity and effectiveness to boards.
‘It's a really good product and in terms of delivery, it has a proven brand and proven success. So I think there's the opportunity to continue it.’
‘My priority is ensuring that departments run selection processes which give ministers a choice of high quality candidates, drawn from a strong, diverse field, in each public appointments campaign. By giving a wide range of people exposure to public and third sector boards, and the knowledge and understanding to complement that experience, Boardroom Apprentice plays a significant role in delivering that objective, improving the quantity and quality of candidates who apply for public appointments.’ (Sir William Shawcross, Commissioner for Public Appointments England and Wales)
Recommendations
1. The main recommendations are that Boardroom Apprentice should work to:
2. Develop strategies and additional support to increase the number of Boardroom Apprentices applying for and achieving public sector appointments.
3. Engage with government on removing systemic barriers in public appointments.
4. Ensure all Boardroom Apprentices recruited have the motivation, time and commitment required.
5. Pilot an assessment centre approach to recruiting Boardroom Apprentices to quality assure applicants on values and motivation, and offer this as demonstration model for the public appointments process.
6. Ensure a consistent level and quality of support for Boardroom Apprentices from Board Buddies.
7. Increase the number of Boardroom Apprentices with disabilities and from ethnic minorities.
8. Quantify the full cost against the value of outcomes of Boardroom Apprentice to demonstrate social return on investment.
9. Sustain the programme to meet the ongoing need for a pipeline of new board-ready members to bring greater diversity and effectiveness to boards.
10. Secure a commitment to mainstreaming and longer-term funding of the programme.
11. Explore ways of diversifying sustainable funding and development.
