Member News
By Michael Courtney - 19th November 2009
Passionate and candid discussion took place earlier this week at a roundtable exploring skills gaps for black and minority-ethnic (BME) learners.
The Associate Parliamentary Skills Group, chaired by Gordon Marsden MP (Blackpool South), and the National Skills Forum (NSF) hosted the event.
The meeting was the final of three roundtable discussions that will contribute to the NSF's Skills and Inclusion Inquiry.
Due to report in January 2010, the initiative will investigate and make recommendations for government policy on skills and people with disabilities, BME groups, offenders and ex-offenders.
While details of the discussion took place under Chatham House rules, many of the subjects raised were in-line with the terms of reference provided by the NSF.
Issues such as discrimination by employers and educational institutions, barriers to the labour market and cultural issues were raised, reinforced by alarming statistics.
Under-representation of BME groups in all sectors of employment, in further and higher education and the labour market are negatively influencing the aspirations of young learners and exacerbating stereotypes.
Research by the NSF will look at numerous issues including:
- contributing factors to clustering of BME learners in certain subjects;
- marked unemployment of BME learners compared with white peers with the same or less education;
- the role of cultural influences in the level/type of skills training by BME learners;
- ‘Ethnic penalty’ of unemployment of BME groups on leaving education/training in the labour market.
Despite the delicate nature of the debate, it was understood that candid discussion of these topics is required to influence policy and initiate positive change. It was agreed that barriers to inclusion must be addressed openly to achieve this.
Collaboration across government departments and at a local level was considered key to driving policy forward on these issues.
Attendees at the roundtable agreed that a lack of skills amongst BME communities will only worsen problems around social cohesion.
The Skills & Inclusion Inquiry is sponsored by the TEC Trust Fund, which was established to further the pursuit of skills excellence in the UK.
For further information about the research please contact Liane Cresswell at liane.cresswell@policyconnect.org.uk
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd