Bauer Academy

Bauer Academy was founded by Courtnay McLeod, a news broadcaster and academic, in 2014. Courtnay had seen that traditional education was in many instances failing employers and learners. She set up the Bauer Academy inside Bauer Media, initially to create a talent pipeline for Bauer’s multi-platform media business in the UK. The Bauer Academy grew rapidly, launching partnership programmes with The Big Lottery, The Rank Foundation, the European Social Fund, and The Prince’s Trust, amongst others. The learners on these programmes are given access to Bauer Media’s experts and resources to learn practical skills like content production and creative writing, as well as all-important employability training. In 2016, The Bauer Academy was accepted on to the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. Apprenticeship Standards can be introduced to develop and increase skills in existing employees as well as new entrants, and our team have developed a smart, flexible and collaborative delivery model that has changed the language of Apprenticeships. The Bauer Academy’s work on diversity was featured in an Ofcom report and video, and has been showcased at an event we hosted at Westminster for MPs and leaders in education. We have introduced new programming roles within Bauer Media’s radio business, that specifically targeted and hired from under-represented female groups. The Academy’s contribution to tackling diversity issues is genuine, and creates not only a positive impact but genuine change within the media and other industries.