#19 FE Special- Safaraz Ali - Pathway Group

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. 

In 2012, Safaraz had a vision to bring about change within business networking. To achieve that goal, he created Pathway2Grow: a networking organisation with the tag line “Network, Learn and Grow”.  Safaraz’s vision was to serve business communities nationally by running free events in partnership with business owners to grow their business by raising their personal and business profiles. That vision became a reality with events being held in more than ten locations across the UK, over 100 events taking place every year with over 10,000 business connections made so far. 

In recognition of his position within the business and social entrepreneurial community, Safaraz has been asked to judge a number of awards. For the last four years Safaraz is a judge for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Safaraz has also judged the Birmingham Awards, UK Government’s National Apprenticeship Awards, Signature Awards and Nachural Entrepreneurship Awards. Safaraz is happy to undertake these roles in a voluntary capacity as he sees the difference these events make in encouraging entrepreneurship and leadership development and feels he is a role model for small businesses encouraging wealth creation and growth.

 Amongst his other responsibilities, Safaraz found time to become a published author writing “Canny Bites” which are Quick, informative & impactful bites of business wisdom. His third book is out now which is titled: Attract, Retain and Grow your team to you’re your business. Many business owners  and leaders alike have found his ‘bites’ genuine and refreshing. 

Overall, Safaraz is a strong advocate of social entrepreneurship in order to make a difference in people’s lives. Social and profit for purpose business are the main drivers behind everything he does in order to create entrepreneurial mindsets.

 Safaraz can be contacted via:

https://twitter.com/SafarazAli

linkedin.com/in/safaraz/

also see his youtube channel for business and informative videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/safaraz/

 Host Details:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-macmillan-3b802845/
WhatsApp: 07947 730807

https://www.instagram.com/davemacmillanmentor