How do we increase apprenticeship participation in sectors employing low numbers of ethnic minority people?

Sarah Webster Corporate Relations and Employment Manager

Introduction

• What is the national landscape?

• Who are City Gateway and what do we do?

• Increasing ethnic minority engagement – aspirations and cultural barriers, working with parents and careers advisors • Removing barriers – recruitment processes that prevent BME applicants succeeding • Specialised services and mentoring being provided by training providers to support BME apprentices

The National Picture

BTEG report People from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities make up: 42% of the population of London 30% of people who start Apprenticeships in London 11% of the population of England 6% of people who start Apprenticeships in England

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BTEG (2008) Black and minority ethnic (BME) young people are very under-represented in apprenticeships compared with their numbers in the population as a whole. BME people make up less than 3% of the apprentices in construction, land based industries, science, engineering and manufacturing, building services engineering, and hair and beauty. National Apprenticeship Report

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“Black and minority ethnic (BME) young people are badly under-represented in Apprenticeships compared with their numbers in the population as a whole. They areunder represented in the ‘traditional’ craft-based sectors and particularly in some of the more ‘modern’ frameworks, such as customer service (6%) and hospitality (3%)”;

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“BME apprentices are also more likely not to progress to a related job after completion of their framework than other apprentices. They are also less likely than other young people not to gain an Apprenticeship after completing a pre-Apprenticeship course”;

Tower Hamlets and City Gateway

• In Tower Hamlets: 44.5% of children in out of work families; 38.1% of children do not speak english at home; 44.7% of people born abroad; female employment is 15% below national average • City Gateway works with 76% young people coming from BAME backgrounds (58% Asian/Asian British; predominantly Bengali) • 91% success rates on our apprenticeships (15% higher than national average) • 60.7% of our young people on pre apprenticeship programmes had additional learning needs (2011/12) • 45% of our current apprentices are working in high end financial services firms

Employer Registration Process

Identify the area of the business the apprentices could benefit Year long work and training plan defined, managers and mentors identified with support from CG Corporate Relations team. Job descriptions agreed.

Apprentice selection Apprentices complete written application, CG provides short list, interviews arranged and apprentice selected On-boarding through HR/Recruitment City Gateway support provided throughout including minimum of 2 appraisal meetings Support provided for the apprentice beyond the 12 months

City Gateway Support • Relationship Manager • Retention Worker • Internal support team – Safeguarding team

Pathways onto apprenticeships

1) Working with schools, support workers, careers advisors and parents 2) Providing pre apprenticeship programmes that

prepare young people for employment

3) Train candidates in the application processes, relevant to their industry, giving additional emphasis on less traditional industries 4) Investment by firms in insight days, talks and mentoring

How do we remove barriers from employers recruitment processes?

• Employers want the best candidates – some will not have practises to ensure equal opportunity • Employers should be advised on cultural differences • Candidates need to be thoroughly prepared for the process • Providing mentors from the business to assist them through this process

Supporting BAME apprentices to succeed

Cultural change moves slowly – but success is critical for more ethnic minority apprentices to enter industries over time Supporting the apprentice and the employer throughout the first 6 months to a year ensures much higher retention and success rates http://vimeo.com/37100896

connect engage train work

For further information

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http://www.employment studies.co.uk/pubs/report.php?id=496