Inclusive design training programme continues its support of disabled people into new careers
The Centre for Accessible Environments’ (CAE) Pathways Academy has supported 72 disabled people since its launch in 2020, with 59 trainees successfully completing the programme.
Pathways is CAE’s award-winning training programme, designed to give disabled people in London the confidence, skills and support needed to begin a career in inclusive design and access.
Funded by City Bridge Foundation, the programme has helped create a growing pipeline of access and inclusive design professionals whose expertise combines formal training with lived experience.
More than 71 per cent of Pathways graduates are now working in the inclusion and access sector.
CAE Head of Business Development Fara Muneer said: “Pathways began with an evening of brainstorming ideas at the CAE offices seven years ago. We were so engrossed with the brainstorming that we didn’t realise the time, and the cleaners had to ask us to leave.
“What we did know was that there was a lack of access experts for our work, many of our consultants were near retirement, and disabled people face barriers to employment.
“So, Pathways was spawned from the idea of a pool of access experts with lived experience of disability.”
City Bridge Foundation agreed to fund the programme for six years, giving Pathways time to develop, adapt and demonstrate its impact.
Demand for places is continuing to grow, with 33 applications received for 15 available places in 2027.
A recent survey of Pathways students also showed improvements in confidence and knowledge of inclusive design.
Before joining the programme, none of the surveyed students reported having a strong understanding of inclusive design. By the end, nearly two-thirds said they had a strong understanding, while confidence in skills including problem-solving, presenting and teamwork also increased.
Some 93 per cent of students said they felt confident applying for roles in the inclusion sector after completing the course, compared with 25 per cent at the start of training.
Across five years, Pathways has achieved an average completion rate of 81 per cent, while the 2026 cohort recorded a 100 per cent completion rate.
A third of the most recent trainees were aged between 45 and 54, highlighting the programme’s role in helping disabled people develop new careers and change direction at different stages of their working lives.
Fara added: “These outcomes show how Pathways is supporting individuals to develop both the technical and professional skills needed to succeed within the inclusive design sector.”
Former Pathways student Raheem has since joined the CAE team as Training Coordinator, helping to deliver the programme.
He said: “When I applied for Pathways, I never imagined I’d end up working for CAE and helping to coordinate the programme myself.
“I’m proud to have a practical role in helping future generations of disabled access professionals build the skills and confidence to enter careers they might otherwise never have considered.”
Another former trainee, Nicky, has gone on to work at the Business Disability Forum.
She said: “Access to me was a bottomless pit of standards and regulations. It wasn’t something I was interested in, but Pathways changed that.”
Fara said Pathways graduates are also helping to influence the future of accessible design.
“As more graduates move into employment across the sector, they are helping influence the future design of buildings, places and services, ensuring accessibility and inclusion are embedded from the outset,” she said.
Pathways has received national recognition for its work, winning Best Career Development Initiative at the Women in Housing & Housing Heroes Awards in 2023.
In 2025, it also won the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Inspiring Change Award for Fairness, Inclusion and Respect Innovator of the Year.
As Pathways Academy enters its sixth year, CAE, which is part of Habinteg Housing Association, is exploring opportunities to expand the programme nationally and enable more disabled people to access careers in inclusive design.
