Mali Gunter
About
My research project
Widening access to higher/degree apprenticeships for young people from underrepresented backgrounds.My current research interests focus on access to higher education, graduate employability, and workforce mobility, particularly exploring how young people from underrepresented backgrounds navigate higher and degree apprenticeship pathways as alternative routes into professional careers.
Grounded in Bourdieu’s theory of capitals, the research examines how social, cultural, and economic capital influence access to opportunities, career progression, and long-term labour market outcomes. Through combining qualitative insights, policy analysis, and quantitative data, it identifies structural barriers affecting participation, retention, and progression within apprenticeship and workforce systems.
This work also informs my commercial venture, Guapo, a social mobility platform currently operating at a £50m pre-seed valuation, which I founded to help young professionals scale the professional career ladder, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
Positioned within the UK apprenticeship and skills market, estimated at over £3bn, the platform focuses on graduate employability, labour market outcomes, workforce inclusion, and access to digital and professional career pathways.
Supervisors
My current research interests focus on access to higher education, graduate employability, and workforce mobility, particularly exploring how young people from underrepresented backgrounds navigate higher and degree apprenticeship pathways as alternative routes into professional careers.
Grounded in Bourdieu’s theory of capitals, the research examines how social, cultural, and economic capital influence access to opportunities, career progression, and long-term labour market outcomes. Through combining qualitative insights, policy analysis, and quantitative data, it identifies structural barriers affecting participation, retention, and progression within apprenticeship and workforce systems.
This work also informs my commercial venture, Guapo, a social mobility platform currently operating at a £50m pre-seed valuation, which I founded to help young professionals scale the professional career ladder, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
Positioned within the UK apprenticeship and skills market, estimated at over £3bn, the platform focuses on graduate employability, labour market outcomes, workforce inclusion, and access to digital and professional career pathways.
My qualifications
Business, industry and community links
Alongside my work in academia and the world of entrepreneurship through Guapo and Trapanomics I also perform as Guapo Marlz in the music industry, which allows me to engage closely with urban culture, music, and community networks.
My involvement in music, urban culture, and cultural entrepreneurship directly informs my academic research, offering practical insights into how cultural capital, creative networks, and community engagement shape opportunities for young people. These experiences complement my research on social mobility, apprenticeships, and equity, enabling me to explore how creative and professional pathways intersect for underrepresented youth.
ResearchResearch interests
Current areas of research interest are focused on social mobility, diversity and inclusion, graduate employability, and higher and degree apprenticeships, particularly exploring how young people from underrepresented backgrounds access and navigate professional career pathways. A central area of focus is the use of sports gamification and culturally relevant engagement models to increase participation in tech and digital skills pathways amongst young people aged 18–30.
This includes examining how sports gamification can influence motivation, confidence, aspiration, workplace preparedness, and long-term engagement with professional development opportunities, particularly amongst young people who may feel disconnected from traditional academic or corporate environments.
By understanding how gamified engagement and cultural relevance shape participation and career decision-making, the work aims to generate insight into more inclusive approaches to talent development, digital skills adoption, graduate employability, and equitable workforce outcomes within the UK skills and apprenticeship landscape.
Research projects
Access Unlocked: Pathways To ApprenticeshipsThrough Guapo, a collaboration was established with the youth-led platform Investate to deliver Access Unlocked: Pathways to Apprenticeships in partnership with Queen Mary University of London as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science (2026).
The event was designed to increase access to apprenticeship and professional career opportunities for students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. It delivered practical employability guidance, industry insight, and career development support across tech, digital industries, and emerging professional sectors.
The event also showcased Guapo’s approach to workforce development and digital skills engagement, demonstrating how social mobility platforms can support talent development, workplace preparedness, and social mobility outcomes at scale.
Research interests
Current areas of research interest are focused on social mobility, diversity and inclusion, graduate employability, and higher and degree apprenticeships, particularly exploring how young people from underrepresented backgrounds access and navigate professional career pathways. A central area of focus is the use of sports gamification and culturally relevant engagement models to increase participation in tech and digital skills pathways amongst young people aged 18–30.
This includes examining how sports gamification can influence motivation, confidence, aspiration, workplace preparedness, and long-term engagement with professional development opportunities, particularly amongst young people who may feel disconnected from traditional academic or corporate environments.
By understanding how gamified engagement and cultural relevance shape participation and career decision-making, the work aims to generate insight into more inclusive approaches to talent development, digital skills adoption, graduate employability, and equitable workforce outcomes within the UK skills and apprenticeship landscape.
Research projects
Through Guapo, a collaboration was established with the youth-led platform Investate to deliver Access Unlocked: Pathways to Apprenticeships in partnership with Queen Mary University of London as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science (2026).
The event was designed to increase access to apprenticeship and professional career opportunities for students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. It delivered practical employability guidance, industry insight, and career development support across tech, digital industries, and emerging professional sectors.
The event also showcased Guapo’s approach to workforce development and digital skills engagement, demonstrating how social mobility platforms can support talent development, workplace preparedness, and social mobility outcomes at scale.