Information for BAME students and graduates
The Equality Act 2010 defines ‘race’ as including colour, ethnic or national origin, or nationality. The Act protects job applicants and employees from discrimination on these bases, with any discrimination against race, ethnicity and religion being unlawful.
Exploring resources for your career journey
To help you understand your rights in more detail and identify employers who actively champion diversity and inclusion, we've compiled some helpful resources.
Sourcing opportunities
Many company websites have "About Us," "Diversity & Inclusion," or "Careers" sections where they might publish their commitment to diversity. Searching these sections for keywords like "Ethnic diversity", “BAME”, "inclusion," "diversity statement," or "equality policy" can be helpful.
Many organisations will promote their opportunities on job search sites that are aimed at ethnically diverse individuals, to demonstrate their commitment and support of the community.
The law, your rights and disclosure
External support organisations
- BYP Network: A professional network open to students and graduates from an ethnically diverse background. The BYP Network showcases talent to partner organisations and provides a varied job board, blog and newsletter. The Network also hosts employability events targeted towards ethnically diverse students.
- AFBE-UK (Association for Black & Minority Ethnic Engineers): A platform connecting ethnically diverse engineering professionals with young people studying/ aspiring to study engineering. The organisation hosts workshops, a mentoring programme and more to support under-represented groups entering the engineering field.
- Creative Access: Provides paid internships in the creative industries, targeted towards students from ethnically diverse and other under-represented backgrounds.
Remember to carefully evaluate the information you find on these websites and consider reaching out to the organisations directly for specific advice and support.
By understanding your rights and knowing where to find supportive and inclusive employers, you can confidently navigate your career journey and find a workplace where you can thrive and be your authentic self.