Multicultural Apprenticeship Launch

1. “Multicultural” &
Promoting Diversity
in Apprenticeships
The Journey
Safaraz Ali

2. Quick personal reflection if I may
the Current conversations & add
some of context.

3. UK government to scrap ‘BAME’ in
response to race inquiry
Ministers will drop the term black, Asian and
minority ethnic (BAME), beef up local
scrutiny of police stop and search and draft
a model history curriculum to teach Britain’s
“complex” past in response to the Sewell
report on racial disparities.
Inclusive Britain recommends dropping the
term BAME across government, as it is too
much of a catch-all, and gathering more
fine-grained data to inform future
policymaking.

4. English Apprenticeships: Our 2020
Vision
Supporting diversity in apprenticeships and access for
all
• We are committed to increasing the proportion of
apprentices from BAME backgrounds by 20%
English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision
Dec 2015
BME 2020 Vision
“More must be done to ensure BME workers get more job
opportunities”
BME 2020 vision amongst other to focus on:
• Increase the proportion of apprenticeships taken up by BME
backgrounds by 20%
• Increase the number of BME students going to University
Sajid Javid, then Business Secretary
March 2016

5. BAME representation in UK's top jobs
has barely risen in past three years
The proportion of black, Asian and minority
ethnic people in some of the 1,100 most
powerful jobs in the UK has barely moved
over the past three years, according to a
study that highlights the lack of non-white
representation across key roles.
Only 51 out of the 1,097 most powerful roles
in the country are filled by non-white
individuals, an increase of only 1.2%, or 15
people, since 2017, the Colour of Power
survey by consultants Green Park and not-
for-profit organisation Operation Black Vote
said.

6. Race in the workplace:
The McGregor-Smith Review
Every person, regardless of their ethnicity or
background, should be able to fulfil their
potential at work.
That is the business case as well as the
moral case. Diverse organisations that
attract and develop individuals from the
widest pool of talent consistently perform
better.

7. DfE’s ‘bizarre’ BAME apprenticeships
strategy
“The Department for Education will
strengthen ethnic minority representation in
campaign imagery and make use of
“influencers” to tackle low numbers of
diverse young people taking
apprenticeships.
But experts have warned the action does
not go far enough, with one group saying it
is “simply bizarre” to think that racism and
inequality will be fixed by just running a
better advertising campaign.“

8. Please, don't call me BAME or BME! -
Zamila Bunglawala,
“The acronym BAME and the initialism BME
are, I feel, a good case in point. ‘BAME’
stands for ‘Black, Asian and minority ethnic’
and ‘BME’ stands for Black and Minority
Ethnic’. The terms are widely used by
government departments, public bodies, the
media and others when referring to ethnic
minority groups. Yet during research we
carried out with nearly 300 people across the
UK, we found that only a couple recognised
the acronyms and only one knew vaguely
what they actually stood for!
There is also a problem in that the terms
‘BAME’ and ‘BME’ aren’t always associated
with White ethnic minorities such as Gypsy,
Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage groups,
which we know are among some of our most
marginalised and disadvantaged communities.
To leave these communities out of the very
language we use is to marginalise them even
further.”

9. Where it all began…

10. Asian Apprenticeship Awards
• Celebrating and showcasing the best of British Asian Apprentices and the people that
employ and train them.

11. Endorsements
ANNE MILTON - FORMER MINISTER OF STATE FOR
SKILLS & APPRENTICESHIPS
•I was delighted to read about the continued success of the BAME
Apprenticeship Awards since their launch in 2016, and to read about the
background to the project and your achievements in 2017. I applaud your
commitment to recognising, highlighting and celebrating apprenticeship
successes, and in addressing the challenge of encouraging British Asian
communities to participate in apprenticeship schemes. Celebrating the best
of BAME apprentices, as well as their employers and trainers, will inspire
others and raise the profile of apprenticeships, which in turn will help
achieve an increase in Black, Asian and ethnic minority apprentices.
RT HON JUSTINE GREENING MP – FORMER
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION
•I was delighted to learn about the awards – it is great that you are bringing
together BAME apprentices, businesses and providers to celebrate their
successes.

12. The DfE’s blanket BAME strategy is
cloth-eared
This blanket approach is flawed by design.
By lumping all the non-white ethnicities
together under one target, we miss the
differences in existing patterns and future
needs for specific groups.
The proportion of BAME apprentices varies
around the country, but low apprenticeship
take-up is more significant among British
Asians than in other BAME communities,
where take-up is nearer the representative
population.

13. BAME Apprenticeship Awards
Celebrating talent & Diversity in Apprenticeships. Recognising the British BAME
Apprentices, their employers and learning providers.

14. The cornerstone of our belief is…
“The best person to promote and sell
apprenticeship programmes are apprentices
themselves, this is where we will add additional
focus, we will strive practically at all levels and this
is where we need your support.”
• Safaraz Ali

15. BAME Apprenticeship Alliance
& BAME Apprentice Network
Closing The Diversity Gap in Apprenticeships - aiming to change apprenticeships’
landscape, empowering apprentices to develop personally and professionally, as well as
championing change within the sector.

16. Protect student choice: Scrapping
BTECs is bad for levelling up and for
BAME students
Less than half of all enrolments for
qualifications likely to be removed come
from the least deprived students.
As a stark comparison, the students who
will be impacted consist of:
• 46 per cent for Asian students
• 47 per cent for SEN students
• 50 per cent for those receiving free
school meals
• 47 per cent for the most deprived
students

17. DEI Pledge
Our Diversity Pledge aims to support
employers in making a difference in the lives
of individuals of Black, Asian, and Minority
Ethnic backgrounds in starting sustainable
careers.
Key Insights on Culture & Diversity in
Apprenticeships
BAME apprentices are facing numerous
challenges, influencing their engagement with
apprenticeships, as well as their experiences
once in an apprentice role.
They wish to be part of support networks to
improve their experiences.
Employers also require support to recruit more
apprentices from BAME backgrounds.
100 BAME Apprentices
Report

18. Our campaigns- a key differentiator for us
Dispelling Dyslexia
Inclusion in
Apprenticeships
Free Leadership
Training For Young
Apprentices
Formula 1 Tackling
Diversity Issues to
Make Motorsport
More Inclusive
National
Apprenticeship
Week
Pride in
Apprenticeship
Mental Health
Awareness
How to support
your Muslim
employees during
Ramadhan

19. Partnership working
Collaborations – working well and focus
more on:
Enabling external networking opportunities
Motivating members and apprentices to connect and engage at the events and workshops
Support, guide and advice apprentice who require further assistance
Access to Cognassist Digital Cognitive Assessments
Empower LGBTQ+ people to be themselves in these environments
Help apprentices gain confidence to start their careers
Provide information of LGBTQ+ youth groups, rights in the workplace and self-advocacy

20. What does our future look like
us?

21. Our Awards …
Celebrating the talent and diversity in Apprenticeships

23. BAME Apprenticeship Alliance & BAME Apprentice Network
Promoting social mobility, diversity, inclusion, and equity in
apprenticeships

24. BAME Apprentice Network” will transition and this name will move to “Career
Progression Network” and encapsulate Career Campus, and Career Hack

25. Supported by
Official Media Partner
London
Thursday 30th
June
Venue: KIA Oval
Manchester
Monday 4th July
Venue: MMU Business
School
Birmingham
Friday 8th July
Venue: Millennium Point

26. Our focus…
26

27. What we can do to champion further
change? (forgive the use of BAME here!)
• Increase visibility of positive BAME
apprentice role models and leaders
• Create a network to support BAME
apprentices with personal and
professional development
• Carry out more research into the
disparities between different ethnicities
Support employers to:
• Engage with BAME communities
• Market more career opportunities to
potential BAME apprentices
• Create more progression opportunities for
BAME apprentices
• Develop a more diverse, inclusive and
equal workplace for all

28. Getting it right for our partners:
Develop Key Stakeholder, Marketing and Comms Plan:
Relentless focus on: Messaging & comms
Promote good news and share stories – become their “PR” and
support Patrons posts on social media and give greater leverage and
reach to their messaging and communications
Peer Support and Linking up
Sharing Good practice, and getting accountability support

29. Official Media Partners

31. What does further success here look like?
Stability and Growth - internally & externally
Clear and Concise messaging and comms plan
Greater partnerships and effective collaborations
Renewal of patrons and additional patrons
THE ‘Go To ’ organisation & PR support for our Patrons

32. Promoting social mobility,
diversity, inclusion, and equity
in apprenticeships
Celebrating the talent and
diversity in Apprenticeships