Access Industry appoint veteran educator Gary Judge as Managing Director to lead new era including new apprenticeship pathway

National apprenticeships provider Access Industry are entering an exciting new era, led by newly appointed Managing Director, Gary Judge. 

Judge, an educator with nearly 20 years of experience at Access Sport, is joining the company to lead on the existing sports and creative apprenticeships curriculum, as well as spearheading an aggressive growth and development strategy.

Having helped found Access Sport (previously Coaching Connexions) in 2006, Gary built the company from a single qualification offer to a national college at the forefront of sports education in the UK, boasting a 600 strong student base split across multiple campuses. This student base now stands at 1400, making Access Sport one of the biggest providers of sports education in the country.

During his time at Access Sport, Gary has also built a far-reaching network of partnerships and worked with them to create cutting edge campuses that promote maximum engagement in studies, invested in groundbreaking technology to maximise performance and learning, developed an enrichment programme that includes international trips and opened up progression routes for learners including apprenticeships, international scholarships, employment, and university. 

Gary Judge, Managing Director for Access Industry and Access Sport said:

“I’m hugely excited by the potential of this team and business in general. Apprenticeships and work based training is where I started my journey as an educator so it feels like a natural step for me to come back to this. Although my most recent experience has been within study programmes and general further education, I’ve always ensured that our programmes are supported and informed by employers. We’ve got a highly skilled and energetic team here (at Access Industry) and one that we are looking to expand with more expertise and experience, to provide the best service we can to our apprentices and our employers.”

Joining Gary at Access Industry is the newly appointed Head of Apprenticeships (North), Tom Bates. Tom began his career teaching sports and fitness qualifications to young people, before moving into recruitment, business development, account management and ultimately apprenticeships management. With ten years of experience in apprenticeships, and a substantial nationwide client network, he has averaged over £500,000 a year in apprenticeship programme sales. At Access Industry, he will utilise his direct sector experience and wide range of contacts to focus on growing Digital and Business qualifications.

Tom joins existing Head of Apprenticeships (South), Katie Bambridge who started her career with Access Education Group, building T Levels into the curriculum at Access Creative College Norwich. With experience in the Welfare to Work industry, and years of direct apprenticeships experience, Katie has built a strong network of employers including Disney, Festival Republic, Royal Opera House and 4Wall. She has been directly involved in the implementation of apprenticeships at Access Industry, including working directly with the film and TV industry to create the Screen Lighting Technician pathway, and brings an average of 80 learners a year to Access Industry.

Katie and Tom will work directly with Gary to widen the company’s employer network and connect them with even more talented learners to achieve a greater industry impact and long-term, sustainable success. Access Industry are also welcoming a new Senior Marketing Executive, who will support the team to promote the business to prospective learners and employers. 

A key area of focus will be learner and employer recruitment for Access Industry’s new Screen Lighting Technician apprenticeship pathway, launched in 2024. The pathway forms part of the Creative Industries Production Technician apprenticeship and is designed to serve the growing needs of the British TV and film industry. Learners will learn through a combination of hands-on experience and expert training, working with advanced lighting systems and master battery and power solutions to create stunning lighting effects for high-profile productions. 

An exciting twelve months lay ahead for Access Industry, as they look to further growth and development, reaching more learners and employers and cementing the brand at the forefront of British apprenticeships training.