What is Career Focus

Executive Summary



Content

Acknowledgements------3

Executive Summary------7

Foreword------8

Aims of the Project------9

Outcomes------11

About Windsor Fellowship------12

About Amos Recruitment and Training Ltd------15

Contact Information------21

Acknowledgements

The Career Focus Team would like to thank the following individuals for their knowledge, experience, insight, contacts and support in the development and the delivery of Career Focus 2001 / 2002 programme. Thank You

Steering Committee Members

Beverly Bernard Deputy Chair Commission for Racial Equality

Mark Blake CEO Windsor Fellowship

Dr. Kussom Joshi Confederation of Indian Organisations

Dr. Adotey Bing Director of African Studies

Cal Weatherald Innovation Team

Donna Muwonge National Training Organisation

Project Director

Mark Blake CEO Windsor Fellowship

Project Manager

Afua Yeboah MD Amos Recruitment and Training

Project Team

Isabelle Fernandes Amos Recruitment and Training Ltd

Cali Ibrahim Amos Recruitment and Training Ltd

Mary Smith Amos Recruitment and Training Ltd

Deng Ajak Amos Recruitment and Training Ltd

HEFCE

Colin Cronin

Independent Evaluator

Dr. Morgan Dalphinis

National Co-ordinator – Innovations Team

Cal Weatherald

Nadira Mirza

Facilitators

Voluntary Sector

Chupa PhiriRefugee Council

Olu ArowbusoyeComic Relief

Ron LutaayaHaringey Council

Media Sector

Fiona PetersBBC

Henry BonsuLondon Live

Ronke PhillipsCarlton TV

Robeel HaqFreelance Journalist (New Media)

Nimita ParmaFreelance Journalist (Print)

Joyce OhajaITN News

Jennifer AsiamaSunday Times

Michelle Deleon GMTV

Civil Service

John HarradenceCabinet Office

Ahmed AzamFCO

Banking and Finance

Stephanie AllwoodUBS Warburg

Llewellyn CollymoreOrange

Derek Browne Merrill Lynch

Participating Employers

Voluntary Sector

Host for the Open Evening

Greater London Authority

Host for the Workshop

National Council of Voluntary Organisations

Prospect-Us

Black Liners

Bond

Voluntary Services Overseas

Ethnic Minority Foundation

Pegasus Opera

Student Volunteering

Psytech International

Media Sector

Host for the Open Evening

Department of Culture, Media and Sport

Host for the Workshop

Granada Television

BBC

SkillSet

Skills for Media

Carlton Television

Ethnic Media Group

Civil Service

Host for the Open Evening and Workshop

Cabinet Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Home Office

Probation Office

Banking and Finance

Host for the Open Evening

JP Morgan Chase

Host for the Workshop

UBS Warburg

Citi Group

Barclays Bank

Merrill Lynch

Orange

Executive Summary

‘Evidence suggests that while companies express an interest in equality and diversity, and maintain that they want to attract the best from the Black and Minority Ethnic Labour Market, action and outcomes reveal that the labour market still discriminates against these candidates, even at application stage’

Beverley Bernard – Deputy Chair of the Commission of Racial Equality

Between January 2001 and May 2002, Career Focus delivered a series of sector specific career events targeted at Black and Asian final year undergraduates and recent graduates. Working in partnership with over thirty voluntary, private and public sector organisations, Career Focus worked to raise awareness, develop key employability skills necessary for over two hundred penultimate year, final year and recent graduates to compete at recruitment and selection.

Career Focus Objectives are to: -

  • Providing insights into public and private sector organisations
  • Identifying employment opportunities currently available
  • Building practical assessment and personal skills (e.g. presentation and confidence)
  • Create peer – mentoring opportunities

The aim of ‘ Recruitment and Selection - Understanding Sector based approaches’ is to highlight the key learning from the career events carried out through Career Focus. The Workshop will also cover the wider issues around Black and Asian graduate employability specific to Recruitment and Selection practices across four sector employers Voluntary, Media, civil Service and Banking and Finance.

Foreword

By Beverley Bernard, Deputy Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, and Chair of the Career Focus Steering Committee

Career Focus is a year long programme which focus on the Recruitment and Selection processes of leading employers in four main sectors, Voluntary, Media, Civil Service and Banking and Finance.

The Programme sought to prepare Black and Asian final year undergraduates and recent graduates for Recruitment and Selection, as well as promote leading employers seeking to achieve a culturally diverse workforce.

Evidence suggests that while companies express an interest in equality and diversity, and maintain that they want to attract the best from the black and minority ethnic labour market, action and outcomes reveal that the labour market still discriminates against these candidates, even at application stage. For example, information from the Windsor Fellowship suggests that when biographical data is removed from application forms, and selection is based on assessment skills and experiences, more Black African and Caribbean candidates are likely to succeed, and get selected for training.

It is also still the case that African and Asian candidates continue to anglicise their names in order to “get their foot in the door” as they recognise that at application stage their name is significant information, which acts as a barrier to entry.

Most employers would insist that their company operate fair and just recruitment and selection practices, it is important that they strive to achieve equality of opportunity for all.

Aims of the Project.

Career Focus is designed to provide Black and Asian graduates insight into the recruitment and selection processes of the private, public and voluntary sector organisations.

The Career Focus programme targets, attracts and develops Black and Asian undergraduates and recent graduates through a series of introductory Open Evenings and two – day workshops where employers showcase their career opportunities for the diverse market and raise their profile within the Black and Asian communities.

What is the Open Evening Seminar?

The Open Evening Seminar is designed to:

  • Provide knowledge, insight and experience of industry
  • Enable participants to make an informed choice about their career options
  • Provide excellent networking opportunities.
  • Showcase the different employment sectors and the organisations within the sector, by inviting Keynote speakers to participate in a lively and interactive question and answer session.
  • To offer the potential candidate with an insight on the mechanisms of the sectors’ recruitment and selection process paying a particular attention to their diversity strategy.

What is the Two – Day Workshop?

The workshop is a two – day intensive training programme designed to: -

  • Provide One to One feedback and support from professionals within the Sectors.
  • Interactive development skills training, careers advice and guidance.
  • Specialised training in the recruitment and selection techniques used within the sectors
  • Constructive feedback in interviewing skills, assessment centre techniques, applications and curriculum vitaes.
  • Networking with like-minded graduates and professionals.

Benefits for Participating Champions:

  • Managers and Team Leaders shall gain invaluable experience in diversity recruitment within a risk free environment
  • Raise company profile and awareness within the ethnic minority communities
  • Expansion of British industry and its corporate competitive edge in the global marketplace
  • Acquisition of practical ideas about enhancing the creation of sustainable knowledge-based economy
  • Participating in the process of identifying creative and innovative ways to inform and facilitate the process of developing diverse workforces in an increasingly competitive global marketplace
  • Promotion on local and national media and on all publicity materials distributed within universities, government departments and other stakeholders
  • Recognition across ethnic minority communities and others for supporting and participating in this national project of innovation in higher education
  • Participation in the research, dissemination and evaluation of the project for relevant policy issues
  • Access to a pool of high calibre ethnic minority final year students, graduates and postgraduates

Benefits to participating Sponsors:

  • Selective access to the data base services of graduates' and postgraduates' CVs.
  • Potential to take part in the final sourcing and selection programme.
  • Profiling and acknowledgement in some publicity on the programme.
  • Profiling and recognition by some participating leading Black and Asian groups.
  • Profiling and recognition through the programme website and mutual site links.
  • Profiling and acknowledgement through relevant professional publications.
  • Invitation to attend all key events, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
  • Savings in costs associated with some aspects of graduate training programmes.

Career Focus programmes will therefore aim to form an integral part of a diversity recruitment strategy in which the aim is to attract, recruit and retain a more diverse workforce by enabling the Black and Asian graduates not just to meet face to face with the employment sectors but to learn and understand the changing face of the industry’s recruitment and selection process. Key companies, as part of the workshops will be able to practice and understand recruiting, selecting and developing potential candidates irrespective of and in accordance with the relevant Statutes and Acts.

Valuing Diversity is therefore key to the programmes and models of good practice, and are at the core of the delivery strategy to enhance learning and development for all participants. The Career Focus programme will enhance career development, company profile and provide an excellent confidence-building base for both entities to “ Spread your wings”

Outcomes

  • Identify Champions to support the process (e.g. Learning Skills Council, CRE, Hefce)
  • Build links with the private and public sector employers to host and co-present specific events related to the industry.
  • Present and deliver Career Focus events in the year 2001 / 2002
  • Invite upto 100 Black and Asian penultimate, final year undergraduates and recent graduates to participate in each event.
  • Invite upto 50 final year undergraduates, recent graduates and penultimate to the two – day workshop.
  • Host Careers evening for leading organisations in the respective selected sectors.
  • Explore and identify the wider issues around the employability of Black and Asian graduates as part of the evaluation and dissemination aspects of the project
  • Tangible demonstration of evidence of good practice
  • Building meaningful and enduring links between the Black and Ethnic minority suppliers in the diversity field
  • Out of the 100 or so Black and Asian graduates being trained, to increase their intake and potential entry into the employment market – after having developed their employability skills in the various specific employment sectors in which they are qualified and interested to pursue a career.
  • Measuring the impact of the national and local media coverage and profiling the evaluation and feedback that shall be received by the participants in the project.

About the Windsor Fellowship

Background

Since its establishment in 1986, the Windsor Fellowship has worked to achieve its vision of a nation in which the talents of all people truly shine. A nation in which there are no barriers to success because of race or creed, and where the brightest and the best can take their rightful place as leaders in their workplace and in their communities.

Working in partnership with the UK’s leading organisations and institutions the Windsor Fellowship provides a range of 1, 2 and 3 year development programmes for Black and Asian high-achievers. Targeted primarily at undergraduates and GCSE students, the Fellowship’s programmes equip participants with personal, managerial and professional skills to allow them to succeed in their studies and future careers.

The work of the Windsor Fellowship is both rewarding and challenging. Since its conception, the Fellowship has provided over 800 undergraduate students (or Fellows as they are known) with life-changing opportunities for personal and professional development. Being a Windsor Fellow carries responsibilities for each of them. They are tomorrow’s leaders and are expected to live by the ethos of the Fellowship:

  • Integrity -Be true to yourself and others around you
  • Community -Work for the benefit of the communities in which you live or

belong

  • Excellence -Aim to be the best that you can
  • Diversity -Acknowledge, embrace and celebrate the differences between

people

  • Leadership -Recognise your importance and take responsibility for your

actions and yourself

The key components of the undergraduate programmes are:

  • Competence-focused residential seminars delivered by sponsoring organisations, experienced facilitators and Graduate Fellows
  • A Personal Enhancement Programme (an extended seminar including outdoor activities)
  • Voluntary work – a minimum of 2 hours per week
  • Extensive programme support provided by Student Liaison Officers (Fellowship staff dedicated to the support of Fellows)
  • A minimum 6-week work placement/internship providing an opportunity to gain a “real life” insight into working life in the UK’s leading public and private sector institutions

Over the years, the Fellowship has witnessed an increase in the acknowledgement of the importance of Black and Asian employees to the economic, social and political well-being of the UK. Nonetheless, Black and Asian graduates still face greater challenges when compared to the majority ethnic counterparts in employment and career progression and it is only through the Fellowship’s continued work, in partnership with individuals, communities and organisations, that its vision will be realised.

Working in partner ship with education, employers and the Community, the Windsor Fellowship demonstrates how a diverse population can add substantial value to the economic, social and political well being of United Kingdom.

Windsor Fellowship has had the pleasure of creating a diverse partnership with organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors alike. Some of the organisations currently or previously in partnership with Windsor Fellowship are: -

Health and Safety Executive

National Assembly for Wales

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Audit Commission

Transport for London

Department for Health

Home Office

Deutsche Bank

Goldman Sachs

Etc…

About Amos recruitment and Training Ltd.

Background

Amos Recruitment and Training Ltd is one of the UK’s leading recruitment and training consultancy specialising in cultural diversity and employability. Our main purpose is to design, develop and deliver pro - active diversity recruitment and retention strategies to organisations and community groups, as well as offering high quality positive action career development programmes for individuals.

In November 2001, Amos Recruitment and Training in partnership with Senior HR Personnel Associates designed, developed and delivered a series of workshops to the Home Office Network for minority managers and staff. The aim of the two-day workshop was to prepare middle and senior management for the recruitment and selection process. This was an important part of an on going Home Office strategy aiming to improve the career development prospects of BME employees.

More recently, Amos Recruitment and Training has designed developed and delivered a yearlong Career Focus programme targeting BME graduates, coaching them in the techniques required to successfully compete in recruitment and selection. The programme focused on specific sectors including Finance and Banking, Civil Service, Media and the Voluntary Sector. Work is currently underway to design develop and deliver recruitment and selection training to London Learning Skills Council senior management.

Our Executive Search and Selection recruitment services specialises in identifying, targeting and recruiting diversity candidates from under represented labour markets promoting skills and untapped talent. We currently specialise in placing Human Resource professionals.

Our Training services focuses on developing quality employability programmes both bespoke and tailored for junior, middle and senior managers across a range of sectors.

Since we were established in June 1998, we have grown to reflect the increase demand for our services mainly due to economic, political and social climate internationally.

The key factors, which have contributed to our success, include: -

  • CIPD and BPS qualified personnel
  • Extensive experience of working with minority professionals, junior, middle and senior managers
  • A Client focused approach
  • Partnership with local and national community groups.

With over 10 years experience of developing leaders within the BME community, Amos Recruitment and Training will welcome the opportunity to share this experience and assist you to

‘Spread your Wings’

(The founder Ms. Afua Yeboah is a Graduate Windsor Fellow. Windsor Fellowship is a leadership programme developing BME leaders.)

Our Services…

We design and deliver quality diversity recruitment, training and developmentservices throughout the UK, which contributes to individuals, organisations, and community groups. Our Consultancysupport facilitates Human Resource Management and organisational change.

Recruitment – We specialise in search and selection for professionals in HR, Finance, Marketing, Management and Information Technology across diverse industries and sectors for junior, middle and senior management positions.

We attract candidates from diverse labour markets including women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. We succeed by working in partnership with our clients utilising formal and informal networks and maximising catchments through special access to diversity databases. Key support services that we provide include Corporate Career Events, Career Development and Assessment Centre.

Training and Development Programmes – We offer customised and modular programmes and workshops from diversity awareness training to strategy development at front line, executive and board level. Our programmes achieve results for organisation, teams and individual.