PRIDE 2024

We’re celebrating Pride! Each June, communities across the world come together to celebrate freedom of expression, sexual diversity and self-worth, and recognise the liberation and resilience of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) people through colourful events.

We’ve come a long way since the Stonewall Riots back in June 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village, New York City, but there’s always more to do. Here at OAS, we want to encourage everyone to play their part in creating a more open, diverse and inclusive world.

What is Pride Month?

Pride Month started in 1972 as a peaceful protest against discrimination and violence towards the LGBTQ+ community. Over 50 years on, it has evolved to become the loud and proud celebration it is today, with a continued determination to tackle prejudice and raise political awareness of discrimination.
It promotes individuality, dignity, equal rights and self-affirmation, helping society to understand the challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces, as well as urging everyone to support the movement.

Why is Pride Month important?

June signifies the anniversary of the start of huge change for both the LGBTQ+ community and society at large. We’re committed to welcoming all forms of diverse talent at OAS, and recent research suggests there’s more we can all do to proactively encourage and support inclusion.

The Deloitte Global 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work Report found that 42% of the surveyed LGBTQ+ community reported experiencing non-inclusive behaviours at work, with a third of respondents looking to move to a more LGBT+ inclusive employer. In the same report, six in 10 respondents said it was important to be out at work about their sexual orientation, but less than half feel comfortable doing so.

However, 61% of those who are out at work to at least some colleagues about their sexual orientation said that allyship helps them to be out at work.

This clearly shows that when we work together to encourage an inclusive culture, we can and do make a positive difference.

What are we doing to make OAS a more inclusive place to learn and work?

At OAS, we’re striving to be stronger and more effective allies, improve inclusive access to apprenticeships, and welcome talent from all backgrounds, providing tailored support so that everyone has the same chance to fulfil their potential.

As part of our ongoing focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at OAS, we’re working on an Access and Awareness initiative alongside our strategic employer partner, UKAEA. We’re taking action to remove the barriers to improve inclusivity, increase diversity and attract underrepresented communities, like LGBTQ+, to join our engineering apprenticeship programmes.

We’re proud that our efforts are already being recognised, having been shortlisted in the Engineering & Manufacturing Award’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion category in May 2023, as well as being finalists in this year’s Enginuity Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award.

Keep an eye on our socials, where we’ll keep you updated on our latest activities and progress in the quest to continuously improve our inclusive culture!