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As the Met Office seeks to ensure its information is available in a form that people all over the UK can use, it has introduced the Digital Accessibility Apprenticeship and is now celebrating the first apprentice who has completed the scheme.
Adam Keane is the first person to complete an apprenticeship in Digital Accessibility in the world. The Met Office says that this is a pioneering achievement for its own organisation, the Civil Service, and global accessibility standards.
“Weather and climate information is important for everyone, playing a role in keeping people safe. Work in this area involves ensuring that information on all platforms, such as websites, apps and social media, can be accessed and understood by the widest possible audience, regardless of whether people have a visual, hearing, speech, motor, cognitive or other combination of impairments.”
Adam joined the Met Office in September 2022 as a Specialist Apprentice in Digital Accessibility. He officially completed the apprenticeship programme in March, achieving a Distinction. He now continues his career at the Met Office, applying his specialist skills to ensure digital services are accessible to all. He says he was immensely proud to have completed the apprenticeship.
“It’s too early to speculate what the legacy of this apprenticeship will be, but I hope I’m the first of many individuals whose expertise in the field arises through an apprenticeship. I want to embed accessibility into all we do at the Met Office. The digital accessibility work we do matters and is a little thing that can make a huge difference.”
During his apprenticeship, Adam has been given the chance to delve into digital accessibility, looking at how the Met Office can make its critical weather services and world-leading climate science accessible to all. He has helped to demonstrate why digital accessibility matters, as well as providing colleagues with practical tips on how they can further consider accessibility in their work.
The Met Office says that Adam’s contributions have already had significant impact. He has conducted live review sessions, embedded accessibility requirements into key organisational processes, and improved recruitment systems to create a more inclusive candidate pool. He also co-founded the Digital Accessibility Community of Practice, to share best practices across the organisation.
To learn more about how the Met Office operates, watch the Emergency Services Times webinar Preparing for: Storm Eowyn and 100mph winds, where Met Office Services Director Simon Brown joined the panel.
