Safaraz (Saf) originally from the financial services sector, is a social entrepreneur and is a Founder & Head of Pathway Group.

Safaraz has been instrumental in Pathway delivering a very wide range of programmes over a period of 20 years now starting off as an ESOL provider as well as delivering Train to Gain, Adult Community Learning, Youth Contract, Troubled families, Innovation Fund Innovation Fund, various ESF activity such as Skills Support for Workforce, Skills Support for Unemployed, Skills Support for Redundancy, Skills Support for Work Programme and also English and Maths Qualifications just to name a few.

The BAME Apprenticeship Awards (previously known as Asian Apprenticeship Awards) is probably one of Safaraz’s greatest legacy and the work he has done towards the cause has laid the foundations for future generations. Outside of the awards, Safaraz continues to campaign for a collaborative approach to be taken to increasing the numbers of BAME apprentices nationwide aspiring to translate this to the wider UK workforce where BAME representation would be worth £24 billion per year to the economy.

As part of this continued commitment, Safaraz is a Founder and Chair of the BAME Apprenticeship Alliance: an organisation aiming to promote ethnic diversity within apprenticeships by sharing good practice and encouraging organisations to talk about the issues and possible solutions.