Celebrating Potential & Social Mobility Talent
We’re searching schools, colleges, and sixth forms across the UK to find the next Future Apprentice of the Year Celebrating Potential & Social Mobility Talent.
In partnership with Howden (Insurance), this award is for students who bring energy, ideas and determination, especially those who have faced challenges or come from a background where opportunities can be harder to access. We want to celebrate young people who show promise, ambition, and a desire to keep moving forward.
To enter, you must:
- Be in Year 12 or equivalent
- Attend a state school and receive free school meals
- Have a minimum of 9 GCSEs at grade C, including Maths & English
prizes
What could you win?
A Exclusive lunch with three of Howden’s most influential leaders & executives. This is a unique chance to connect, ask questions, and gain insights from top figures in the industry.
All 40 shortlisted candidates will also be invited to an engaging Insight Day at Howden HQ in Spring 2027. This will be fully funded and Howden will cover travel and accommodation, so every participant can take part. During both events, candidates will:
- Explore the world of insurance in a friendly environment
- Learn directly from industry leaders and innovators
- Participate in interactive workshops and assessments
- Build valuable professional networks and skills for their careers
Mentoring
3 x 45 min mentoring sessions with a Howden Apprentice (or professional).
Get answers to your questions, and receive personalised support and feedback as you take your next career steps, accelerate your career journey and build meaningful networks!
Howden is dedicated to supporting all 40 finalists throughout the year by helping them grow, connect, and take their first steps towards becoming the industry’s future leaders.
what it takes
What makes an award winner?
The winner of this award will be a person from a social mobility background who shows great potential; demonstrating entrepreneurial drive, an active can-do attitude, and an ability to work with people. They will show dedication, resilience, and a willingness to work collaboratively and want to make a difference. Above all, they must be excited about learning, developing and shaping their future.
FROM OUR PARTNER
Howden and Celebrating Potential & Social Mobility Talent
At Howden Insurance, we are a leading global insurance brokerage and risk management firm, built on the belief that doing things differently delivers better results for our clients. Since our founding in 1994, we’ve grown from a small London-based broker into one of the world’s largest independent insurance groups — with over 23,000 employees across 50+ countries.
Our independence is at the heart of who we are. As an employee-owned business, our people are invested in every decision we make, empowering us to put clients first, think long-term, and act with integrity. This ownership model drives a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
Our people create their own destinies, and it’s no coincidence that they also make up our largest shareholder group. Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.
At Howden, you'll get the platform to kick-start your working life. You can build a successful career with us, whether you graduated with a degree or left school at 16. And don't worry if you're transitioning from another industry - we prize transferable skills. It's a mindset thing: if you bring a can-do attitude, we’ll teach you the rest.
To find out more about our early careers, click here.
How do I win?
Start your journey
To apply, you’ll need to:
Register for the Future Apprentice of the Year
Deadline: 12pm (midday), Monday 15 February 2027.
Online tests
Submit by
15
February
2027
Remember, please make sure you allow enough time to complete the whole application before the deadline.
If you’re successful in progressing to the next stage, we’ll be in touch with details of what happens next.
Assessment
If you are successful in making it to the next stage, your application will be reviewed by Howden. You may then be invited to attend an brief video interview to understand your motivations for applying. The targetjobs team will support and brief any students who get through to this stage prior to their interview.
Celebrate your success
Made it to the final? Congratulations!
The final shortlisted students will be invited to join us at the Awards Ceremony on 9 April 2027, where we’ll celebrate their achievements and reveal the winner of each award.
Could you be taking home the trophy? Good luck!
