Bates Wells today announces that the firm has partnered with leading societal change charity, Making The Leap, on the provision of assessment centre preparation and support for aspiring solicitor apprentices.
Candidates who have been invited to the firm’s competitive apprenticeship assessment centres have been offered the opportunity to join Making The Leap for two days of intensive preparation. These sessions will include mock interviews, communication skills training, and advice and guidance on executive presence and operating effectively in a professional environment.
The offer of assessment centre preparation is a tangible demonstration of the firm’s commitment to supporting aspiring solicitor apprentices with their professional development. The firm hopes that even those candidates who do not secure apprenticeships gain a great deal of knowledge and experience as a result of this opportunity with Making The Leap.
Nirav Patel, Corporate Partner and sponsor of the solicitor apprenticeship programme at Bates Wells, said: We are very proud to have partnered with Making The Leap to offer aspiring solicitor apprentices a development opportunity they would otherwise have been unable to access. This opportunity is part of our commitment to breaking down barriers to entering the profession and giving candidates the best possible opportunity of success, be that with us or in their wider future endeavours.
Scott Sullivan, HR Director, said: Enabling our solicitor apprenticeship candidates to undergo professional skills development training ahead of attending assessment centres really highlights our ongoing commitment to creating positive impact on people. The introduction of solicitor apprenticeships is a bold step towards creating a more equitable and diverse legal profession, and a way for us to champion internal diversity through alternative routes to qualification.