SOCIAL IMPACT
Goldfinger Academy
Goldfinger Academy
GOLDFINGER ACADEMY
Closing skills gaps, empowering communities
Our award-winning Academy creates accessible career pathways for young people in our community.
We equip local talent with hands-on design, digital, and sustainability skills so they can directly enter -or advance within - the creative and built-environment sectors.
We partner with employers, councils and housing developers to co-design training pipelines that fill real vacancies. Our programmes:
- Serve underrepresented youth and those excluded from traditional pathways
- Deliver work placements, mentorship and portfolio-ready experience
- Align with London’s urgent demand for creative and green skills
- Strengthen the local talent pool and create new recruitment opportunities, bridging community and industry and helping our clients create positive impact and meet Section 106 obligations
Get involved
There are many ways to support our programmes. From mentoring graduates, sponsoring a traineeship, speaking at events, or collaborating on a new Academy project – every contribution helps more young people to access design and craft opportunities.
Together, we can make an even greater impact.
Signpost to our traineeships
Help a young person take their first steps into design and craft by referring them to our Future Makers traineeships.
Create more opportunities
Fund places, tools, and materials, directly opening doors to Future Makers traineeships and career opportunities for young people who wouldn’t otherwise have access
Support the next generation of makers
Sponsor a one-week Future Makers traineeship - and step in as a “Dragon” at our end-of-programme ideas pitching day
Our 2025 impact at a glance
26 beneficiaries
have taken part in Goldfinger Academy traineeships in 2025
373 hours
of free training and employability support given to young people in our community this year
100%
of 2025 Future Makers trainees have since gone on to further education, training or employment
GOLDFINGER ACADEMY
Future Makers
Future Makers is Goldfinger Academy’s flagship programme, empowering young people aged 16 to 25 with woodworking and employability skills.
This free outreach initiative builds confidence and opens clear pathways to employment through practical training, career guidance, mentoring, and both paid and unpaid work experience.
The programme specifically supports learners from low-income backgrounds and those not in education, employment, or training, equipping them with the skills, insights, and self-belief to explore broader career opportunities.
Applications for Future Makers are currently closed. Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about upcoming programmes.
"It opened my eyes to what I could achieve if I were to pursue woodworking and put making in my mind as a path in life."
"It opened my eyes to what I could achieve if I were to pursue woodworking and put making in my mind as a path in life."
- Julius, 2024 Future Maker
"Entering the creative job market has been challenging…
This traineeship felt like the perfect opportunity to reconnect with my craft, reignite my creativity, and learn something new."
"Entering the creative job market has been challenging…
This traineeship felt like the perfect opportunity to reconnect with my craft, reignite my creativity, and learn something new."
This traineeship felt like the perfect opportunity to reconnect with my craft, reignite my creativity, and learn something new."
- Mitalee, 2024 Future Maker
"The teamwork in our group was great; everyone was eager and encouraging and it made me feel so comfortable when using tools for the first time... That really made the difference to my confidence in attempting new things."
"The teamwork in our group was great; everyone was eager and encouraging and it made me feel so comfortable when using tools for the first time... That really made the difference to my confidence in attempting new things."
- Riham, 2023 Future Maker
2024 Country & Townhouse Future Icons Awards
Best Local, Community or Charity Initiative
2023 Monocle Design Awards
Best Training Programme
2023 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Business Awards
Best Social Enterprise/Contribution to the Community
IMPACT REPORT
Golden Summary 2024
Read our annual Golden Summary to find out more about our impact, and to read stories from our Academy.