A culture of respect and support
At OAS, wellbeing, equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do. We want to ensure that all our learners, trainers and colleagues feel safe and valued by fostering a culture of respect and support where we celebrate differences and thrive on each other's success.
Over the last three years, OAS has been actively participating in the government initiative called Access and Awareness, with support from our employer partner, UKAEA. This aims to create access pathways to underrepresented communities across Oxfordshire, to enhance diversity and create inclusivity within our engineering apprenticeship programmes.
You can find our full ED&I Policy in the link below.
MAKING OUR PROGRAMMES MORE ACCESSIBLE
Our regular, ongoing outreach work allows us to engage with people that might not view engineering as a viable career path or who may not even know it exists. Through this engagement, we aim to make our programmes more accessible, and gain strength through diversity.
Our recruitment processes are adapted to individuals' needs. We also offer mock interviews with feedback which helps our aspiring apprentices to feel confident ahead of employer interviews.
Find out more about OAS on the road in the link below.
A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT
We take the wellbeing of our apprentices seriously at OAS and have worked hard to create a welcoming environment. When we designed our new extension ready to welcome our 2023-2024 intake, accessibility was a major focus, with the introduction of physical build improvements across the centre.
These are just some of our recent upgrades: individual gender-neutral toilet cubicles, booths providing quiet areas and a dropped height working surface in the kitchenette. We have also installed hearing loops in the new double classroom and introduced new braille and tactile signage throughout the centre. Outside, we have been able to improve accessible parking at the front of the building with the addition of a low kerb.
It's great to see how well these improvements have been received by our learners, with the breakout areas in use every day. We've also been really encouraged by the positive feedback from our apprentices with neurodiversity on how these adaptations have made the centre a calmer, more welcoming space.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING NEEDS SUPPORT
In centre, our inclusive learning coordinator provides additional learning needs support, or helps to arrange adaptations that may need to be made in the classroom.
Working with our learners on a one-to-one basis, they develop personalised support plans. This ensures individual additional learning needs are identified and supported, such as that essential extra support with Maths or English.
Read more about the extra support we offer at OAS.
Read More
OAS ON THE ROAD
Learn moreTHE EMMA WIGGS CHALLENGE
Hosted exclusively by OAS, this challenge puts the engineering and design skills of our apprentices to the test with the opportunity to meet, work with, and learn from, double Paralympic Champion Emma Wiggs MBE.
Learn more