News20 October 2026
The celebrations kicked off at our Manchester campus in Ancoats, where our sixth form students shared their work with guests, setting the stage for inspiring insights from Lord Jason Stockwood and our Board Chair, Chris Cherry. The highlight of the evening was listening to apprentices Ezra Baldwin and Georgia Gibbison reflect on their personal journeys into the tech industry.
The celebrations then moved to London, where the overwhelming support of our industry partners was on full display. We were thrilled to be joined by representatives from Deloitte, Yoti, PA Consulting, The Aldridge Foundation, Just Eat Takeaway, King, Bank of America, Apax, Corten Capital, ClearScore, Softcat, and Workday.
Reflecting on the milestone, Ada’s CEO, Mark Smith, shared his pride in how far the college has come.
It was fantastic to bring so many of our supporters together in one room. Some have been part of Ada’s journey for over a decade, while others have joined our community more recently. What united everyone was a shared passion for Ada’s mission: to educate and empower the next generation of diverse digital talent. And who better to bring that mission to life than our students, apprentices, and alumni, who moved our guests with their extraordinary stories and the real-world impact of Ada’s work. Here’s to the next decade as we continue to grow, expand, and deepen our impact!
Nothing brought that mission to life quite like the learners interview. Principal Sarah Salimullah took to the stage to interview Jasmine (T Level Learner & Student Voice Careers Link) and Tise (T Level Learner & Student Voice Student Liaison), two learners whose stories captured the true spirit of Ada.
Jasmine spoke openly about her personal growth, crediting her industry coach for helping her find her voice.
When I first started out I was not very confident, I didn’t know how to speak very well. If I was here in my initial form I wouldn’t have been able to speak to anybody. Vikki Leach (industry coach from King), has constantly challenged me, brought me out of my shell, and encouraged me to have conversations with people. One such conversation was when she let me speak to the president of King. The ability to have a coach in the industry is something that not a lot of people are given the opportunity to have. It’s very important for professional building, and I am very grateful for it.
We were also thrilled to see two of our sixth form alumni and current Ada apprentices, Aydah and Ebun, take the stage alongside Louise Jones from ClearScore. Louise opened their segment with a brilliant endorsement, noting that ClearScore exclusively hires their apprentices from Ada’s sixth form, simply asking the room, “Why would we hire elsewhere?”
Aydah echoed this sentiment, highlighting the vital guidance the college provides to those without existing links to the tech sector.
I didn’t have anyone who could tell me what the route was or the best way to get there. Knowing about apprenticeships all started at Ada.
When asked for a final piece of advice for the sixth formers in the room, Ebun’s message was simple but powerful.
Back yourself. Just believe in yourself and believe that you can actually do the thing that you want to do, and you will be where you want to be.
The evening also highlighted the life-changing scale of our collective work. Kevin Walsh, Partner at Deloitte and Chair of Ada’s Business Leaders council noted that over the past decade, they have welcomed over 170 Ada apprentices who are now rapidly climbing the management ladder. They also shared a striking statistic. While one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment, or training, over 90% of Ada alumni are successfully placed in those exact pathways, equipped with future-proof skills. This commitment to the future was further cemented by the mention of our newly launched Level 4 apprenticeship in applied AI and automation, designed to ensure our learners remain at the cutting edge of the workplace.
To cap off an already unforgettable week, our live auction and raffle raised over £115,000. Every penny of this funding goes directly toward supporting our students, from running our coaching and volunteering programmes to funding outward bound trips.
As we look back on ten years of enabling social mobility and transforming tech education, we are filled with immense gratitude. None of this impact would be possible without the continued trust, collaboration, and generosity of the wider Ada community. Here’s to building an even brighter future for our learners, together.