The success of Centre for Accessible Environments’ (CAE) Pathways Academy’s class of 2026 is part of a larger victory in that, since its 2020 launch, the programme has supported 72 disabled people, with 59 trainees successfully completing their training.
Pathways is CAE’s award-winning training programme created to give disabled people in London the confidence, skills and support needed to kickstart a career in inclusive design and access. The training is funded by City Bridge Foundation, London’s biggest independent charity funder.
More than 71% of Pathways graduates are now working in the inclusion and access sector, helping to build a more representative profession while bringing valuable lived experience into the design and management of the built environment.
“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,” says CAE’s Head of Business Development, Fara Muneer.
“What we did know, was that there was a lack of access experts for our work, and many of our consultants were near retirement, and that 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 was approached, and they agreed to fund the programme for six years, giving Pathways the time to grow, adapt and prove its impact.
And demand for places continues to grow – 33 applications have been received for 15 available 2027 places. This is clear evidence of increasing interest in careers within access and inclusive design.
Recent survey
A recent survey of Pathways’ students shows that participants leave the programme with greater confidence and stronger knowledge of inclusive design.
Before joining Pathways, none of the surveyed students reported having a strong understanding of inclusive design. By the end of the programme, nearly two-thirds reported a strong understanding, while confidence in key professional skills such as problem-solving, presenting and teamwork also increased.
An amazing 93% of students felt confident in applying for roles in the inclusion sector after completing the course, compares to 25% at the start of training.
Across five years, the programme has achieved an average completion rate of 81%, making this year’s 100% completion rate a significant new benchmark.
Over that period, the programme has helped create a growing pipeline of access and inclusive design professionals whose expertise is shaped by both training and lived experience.
Most recently, a third of trainees on the course were aged between 45 and 54. This demonstrates that Pathways is creating opportunities for disabled people to develop new careers and change direction at different stages of their lives.
Fara said: “These outcomes show how Pathways is supporting individuals to develop both the technical and professional skills needed to succeed within the inclusive design sector.”
What past students say
The most important measure of success remains students that have completed the course.
Former student Raheem is a testimony to that success having gone on to become part of the CAE team as Training Coordinator, helping to make Pathways happen each year.
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 of Pathways’ earlier trainees, Nicky, has gone on to work at the Business Disability Forum. Reflecting on the course, 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.”
Looking to the future
“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,” Fara said.
The programme’s impact has already been recognised nationally with industry awards and accolades.
In 2023, Pathways was voted Best Career Development Initiative at the Women in Housing & Housing Heroes Awards and was also nominated for Inclusion Champion. And in 2025 it won the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Inspiring Change Award for Fairness, Inclusion and Respect Innovator of the Year, cementing its reputation as a leading example of inclusive workforce development.
As Pathways Academy enters its sixth year, CAE is exploring opportunities to build on its success and expand its reach nationally, enabling more disabled people to access careers in access and inclusive design.