Expert Advisory Panel

Since 2016 Andy has worked as the HR Manager – Early Careers Recruitment within MBDA overseeing the attraction, talent pipeline and recruitment of graduates, undergraduates and apprentices across the UK business always with diversity and inclusivity at the core and ensuring our programmes remain “open to all” irrespective of backgrounds, beliefs or social class.

Andy’s team also have responsibility in inspiring the next generation of engineers and plays an active part in encouraging students across schools in undertaking an exciting career in engineering or business through a number of outreach programmes, activities and direct engagement and improving careers education in general.

Tony joined Balfour Beatty in 1999 and has held a number of Learning and Development roles and has also been responsible for the attraction and recruitment of school leavers and graduates.

He is currently involved in an employer consortium that is developing a range of Higher and Degree apprenticeships in various construction disciplines under the Trailblazer banner and is an Apprentice Ambassador in the North West, where he is based at Balfour Beatty’s Manchester office.

Tony is a member of the Apprentice Diversity Champions Network and heavily engaged with a number of industry and STEM initiatives at national and local levels.  He is a key participant in Balfour Beatty’s Armed Forces Forum, supporting the company’s Armed Forces Covenant.

Prior to Balfour Beatty Tony was commissioned in the Royal Navy and held a number of training delivery roles at sea and ashore.

Joanne has embedded the apprenticeship reform at Siemens including the apprenticeship levy and transition to apprenticeship standards and continues to drive some of the major challenges that the apprenticeship team are facing including; increasing diverse participation in higher and degree apprenticeships as well as planning for the future workforce in Industry 4.0.

Joanne was formally the Operations Manager for Professional Education and Entry Level Talent Partner at Siemens managing the School Leaver, Internship and Graduate schemes.  Prior to joining Siemens in 2010, she has worked in the Engineering and FMCG industries on Graduate and Apprentice Schemes development and started her journey into learning at college teaching travel management.

Karima is now Head of Skills and Emerging Talent at Thames Water, responsible for setting the strategic direction of the ‘skills’ strategy to support the company to deliver its ambition and ensure the business has a diverse and inclusive pipeline of skills required today and in the future. She leads the skills strategy ensuring that the benefits of growth are felt by all communities and colleagues across the business.

Karima leads a team focussed on driving change within the provision of education, employment and skills across all boroughs, forming strategic partnerships and collaborative approaches with stakeholders including education, community, supply chain and skill providers. She is passionate about driving real change and impacts on socio economic diversity, social inclusion, in work poverty, by creating a skills strategy that will create a fair society for all, drive economic prosperity, support social value and positively impact social mobility.