Introduction
Many employers are aware of the advantages of recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. Evidence has shown that a diverse workforce allows for creativity and innovation to flow, and the organisation can have a better understanding of its customer base.
We recognise that the term BAME may not be something you identify with. We have used it on this page as it is the most common abbreviation used by many organisations to identify their area of expertise and support.
Organisations that promote diversity
Check out employer websites
Employer websites can often be a good way of finding out how racially diverse their workforce is, and how committed they are to employing people from different ethnicities. Many employers will have an equality statement on their site or a section on equality and diversity. You can also use employee profiles to gauge the diversity of the current workforce.
Members of the Employment Network for Equality & Inclusion
This resource lists over 300 employers who are committed to equality and diversity in their organisations.
Go to the Employment Network for Equality & Inclusion
Inclusive Companies
Inclusive Companies is a cross industry network harnessing best practices & innovation to drive inclusion for all. They list the top 50 most inclusive employers.
Support Organisations
Bright Network
This year we have partnered with Bright Network to provide our BAME students in particular the opportunity for specific workshops and programmes to support their employability. We also have access to all their resources.
Go to the Bright Network website
Vacancies and events
Rare Recruitment and SEO London both support BAME students and students from low socio-economic backgrounds to secure graduate jobs in some of the UK's top companies. You can see their vacancies and events on MyFuture.
Rare Recruitment are also active on campus. Look out for events they may deliver through the SU Afro-Caribbean Society.
Networks
Joining a network can be a great way to make connections, share information and find support. This can be particularly the case if you are working in a mainly white European work environment.
Black Young Professionals Network (BYP)
Many BAME students on placement and in their graduate jobs often say that they sometimes feel like they are the only ones and would love to connect with people like them. If you would like to build your network, then do check out the Black Young Professionals network (BYP) and connect with like-minded professionals both in the UK and abroad. This site is for both new graduates and experienced hires. They also have a dedicated careers site that allows candidates to upload their CVs and browse jobs from companies that care.
Go to the Black Young Professionals Network website
WCAN
WCAN is a social enterprise dedicated to the personal and professional development of black women.
Association for Black and Minority Ethnic engineers (AFBE-UK)
AFBE-UK promotes higher achievements in education and engineering particularly among people from black and minority ethnicity (BAME) backgrounds.
Internships, work experience and events
There are a number of programmes, internships and insight days exist that are specifically designed for students from ethnic minority backgrounds. Below are some of the opportunities you may be interested in exploring further.
10,000 Black interns
Launched in summer 2020 with commitment from over 700 investment firms to recruit 10,000 Black interns in five years.
Windsor Fellowship
Run a number of programmes designed for BAME students and graduates.
Diversity Access Schemes run by the Law Society
Enable students from diverse backgrounds with extenuating circumstances to earn a scholarship that will fully fund their Legal Practise Course. The project is sponsored by a range of top firms including Hogan & Lovells and Eversheds and Sunderland.
Creative Access
Helps young people from black, Asian and other non-white minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, to secure paid training opportunities in creative companies, and supporting them into full-time employment. They provide a range of opportunities from The BBC, ITV Studios, Bloomsbury and many other firms. This includes summer internships, book publishing programmes and YouTube Channel Management workshops.
How the law protects you
In 2010, the Equality Act came into effect replacing and consolidating all existing legislation relating to discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion and belief, with one all-encompassing act. View the full text of the Equality Act 2010.
Discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably because of their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin. The Act makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate because of these characteristics.
If you think you may have suffered discrimination on your placement or internship, then in the first instance do speak to a Careers Consultant or your Placement Officer.
Disclosing your race or ethnicity
When applying for jobs, you may occasionally be asked to complete an 'equal opportunities monitoring form'. The form may ask you to tick information relating to your ethnicity, gender, sexuality and age. The form is voluntary and you do not have to complete it. The reason why employers ask for this information is to monitor diversity within their business. In most cases the equal opportunities form is detached from your application and the shortlisting panel don't see it.