BAME Volunteers Required

Those expressing sadness at their perception of 'negative' comments could do well to review the IET EDI strategy.


www.theiet.org/.../edi-strategy.pdf


Phrases like 'Positive BAME role models can only be positive step for our engagement with young people' no one here would disagree with.


But that is not the same thing as specifically excluding 'white' (or non-BAME) from contribution. That is both illegal and not inline with the IET strategy.


I email lou P, reported the post and absolutely nothing .. I can only conclude it is fully supported.


I wonder if I made a request for support, but only from White Heterosexual non-Catholics I would find that removed ... essentially the same request, just excluding a different sub-set.


I shall remove myself permanently now from the forums - I don't do all this woke piffle - I want excellence in engineering and abhor anyone that excludes anyone from contributing to that

Graham,
I would with the greatest respect, feel that you are overreacting to a simple request for some “role models” to help promote engineering.  I don’t think that anyone is “excluding” you, they just have a particular purpose in mind.

I recall some years ago turning up well-intentioned to a “younger members event” at a top London University. At the time I was still usually “suited and booted” and was frankly “like a fish out of water” among an ethnically diverse younger group. They were friendly and respectful, but we just didn’t have much in common. I don’t go to nightclubs anymore either, they don’t play enough James Brown for me ?    

Threads like this serve as an excellent reminder of why requests like this are needed in the first place

Well, I value the IET, my membership, the opportunities that it has given me, and hopefully what I can do with them in the future.

I hold no grudges, I volunteer for the IET, I have done anonymous assessment of persons for grading with the IET, and I welcome diversity,

However, I genuinely feel discriminated against based on what would be considered protected characteristics if I were not who I am with the ethnicity I have.

I am really disappointed by the messages being given out by the IET at the moment.

I believe this is a wholly appropriate request. 

I am also somewhat saddened by those who appear to be triggered by it even being asked. 

No-one is being excluded, it is simply a call for BAME engineers to act as demonstrable role models.

Thank you Erusa for your post and for your call for volunteers to help provide inspirational role models from a diverse background.  We are aware of how important it is for younger people to see people like them (be it physically or from a similar social or economic background for instance) when making career aspirations. We believe that this post was not intended to exclude any volunteers from educational motivational activities, but recognising the need to have particular role models. 


The IET’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy was introduced in 2019, part of this strategy is advocating EDI in Engineering as a crucial element in addressing the skills shortage that currently threatens the UK industry.  Working with young people of all backgrounds to excite them about a future career in STEM is a key part to getting them into our industry and providing role models of all backgrounds will be part of this process.  The IET has many similar activities across our Education Officer volunteer provision which we are always grateful for keen and motivational volunteers, for anyone who is interested in further information please visit our Education website if you would like to get involved.


This post will now be closed for comments, anyone wishing to be involved in Erusa’s project can contact her directly.