Arc teams up with Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation to create four apprenticeships at Lingfield

Arena Racing Company (Arc) has partnered with the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation to create a series of apprenticeships at Lingfield.

The partnership, brought together by The Racing Pathway, is the first of its kind in horseracing and will "build an employee pipeline with diverse lived experiences and cultures".

The apprenticeships will target applicants between the ages of 16 and 24 from ethnically diverse backgrounds, for four entry level roles in business administration, maintenance, hospitality and groundkeeping at the racecourse.

Jayne Greenman, HR director at Arc, said: "Both the board and the HR team here at Arc are fully invested in helping people progress through the business. We are already a levy-paying employer and support staff with relevant qualifications through part-funding, full-funding and paid time off to study and take exams.

"When Josh [Apiafi, founder of The Racing Pathway] proposed a partnership with the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation it quickly became apparent that they shared our vision to provide everybody with the opportunity to grow and progress. The partnership is another positive step in achieving Arc's D&I ambitions.”

Jess Neil, CEO of the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, said: "The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation exists to inspire a more equitable and inclusive society for young people from marginalised backgrounds. The collective power of collaboration in the journey towards equity cannot be understated, so to have the support of the racing industry, through esteemed partners like Arena Racing Company and The Racing Pathway, in delivering this vision, is as powerful as it is transformative.

"Stephen’s legacy serves as a reminder that when we uplift young people from marginalised communities, we are not just opening doors for them, but enriching the very spaces they step into. It's this shared belief – that our institutions, industries, and societies are infinitely better with diverse perspectives at the centre – that fuels our collective drive. Together we are not only empowering young people from marginalised communities, but ensuring a brighter, more equitable future for us all."

On behalf of The Racing Pathway, founder Apiafi added: “Following racing’s wide support of Stephen Lawrence Day in April we were delighted to facilitate the introduction of the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and Arc.  This enabled a new partnership, which is creating opportunities for young people via four apprenticeships at Lingfield Park racecourse.

"It is exciting to see that one of the positions is the Business Administration (Racing) Apprenticeship which The Racing Pathway brought together and launched for the industry with the support of the Racing Foundation. The Racing Pathway strategy aims to create opportunities in racing for people from all parts of society, and we are delighted that Arc’s partnership underlines their commitment to this.”

Applications for the four roles close on November 12. Those interested can visit arenaracingcompany.co.uk/careers for more details about the roles and how to apply.

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