Black & Minority Ethnic Representation in the Built Environment Professions

131 Pages·2005·0.58 MB·English

Black & Minority Ethnic Representation
in the Built Environment Professions

Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies,
Royal Holloway, University of London

Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment

© June 2005
Royal Holloway, University of London
Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies
Royal Holloway, University of London
Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the individuals who agreed to be interviewed for this study. These
included professionals employed in the built environment sector, employer
organisations and professional bodies, students and tutors at academic institutions
who study/teach courses in the built environment, and people who had left the sector
or moved out of their original profession.

The people who provided us with details about their experiences of seeking
employment and of being employed in the sector were from a range of ethnic origins.
Collecting information from people of diverse ethnic backgrounds has meant that we
have been able to identify particular areas which need improvement in order to
encourage a greater representation of black and minority ethnic (BME) people within
the built environment sector.

We hope that the conclusions and recommendations do justice to the stories which
were told, and contribute to the move towards greater equality and diversity in the
sector.

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Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies

This report was researched and written for CABE by a research team led by the
Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London. The team
carrying out the research and developing findings included members from
Loughborough University and was also able to draw on a panel of practicing BME
professionals.

PROJECT STEERING GROUP

Paul Ducker CABE
Pamela Edwards RIBA
Doreen Lawrence OBE Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
Chris Murray Director of Learning and Development, CABE
Chris Nasah Society of Black Architects
Greville Percival MFC Group
Sunand Prasad (Chair) CABE Commissioner
Carlton Roberts-James CABE
Afolabi Spence F-l-u-i-d
Kate Trant CABE

RESEARCH TEAM

Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Holloway research team
Professor Humayun Ansari
Ms Amir Aujla
Dr Andrew Caplan
Mr Jamie Gilham
Ms June Jackson
Ms Preeti Kathrecha
Administrative support
Ms Helen Chowdhury
Academic adviser
Professor Kate Loewenthal

Special advisers
Mr Musa Garba (Architect, Prior Manton Tuke Powell)
Mr Arith Liyanage (Performance Improvement Director, Carillion)
Mr Samir Pandya (Architect, Associate, Shepheard Epstein Hunter)

Associate consultants
Professor Barbara Bagilhole (Loughborough University)
Dr Andy Dainty (Loughborough University)

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CONTENTS
Page no.

Acknowledgements 1
Project steering group and research team 2
Abbreviations 5
List of figures and tables 7

1. INTRODUCTION 8
1.1 Background 8
1.2 Research aim and outcomes 8
1.3 Research methodology and sample 8
1.4 Report structure 10
Summary of Key Issues 13

SECTION 1: LITERATURE REVIEW AND EDUCATION
AND EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS 14

2. SURVEY OF RELEVANT RESEARCH AND SECTOR
INITIATIVES 14
2.1 Introduction 14
2.2 Previous research and sector initiatives 14
2.3 Summary 18

3. THE STATISTICAL REPRESENTATION OF BME PEOPLE
IN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT 20
3.1 Introduction 20
3.2 General statistics 20
3.2.1 Population 20
3.2.2 Education 21
3.2.3 Labour market 22
3.3 Make-up of the industry and projected recruitment needs 23
3.3.1 Current make-up of the industry and projected skill needs 23
3.3.2 BME professionals in employment 23
3.4 Representation of BME people in construction-related education 25
3.4.1 Applications 25
3.4.2 Enrolment 25
3.4.3 Qualifiers 32
3.4.4 First destination of graduates 32
3.4.5 Construction Industry Training Board trainees 34
3.5 Monitoring by professional bodies and employers 34
3.6 Summary 35
3.7 Chapter 3: Key Points 36

SECTION 2: BME EXPERIENCES AND INDUSTRY INITIATIVES 37

4. EXPERIENCES OF QUALIFYING FOR THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT PROFESSIONS 37
4.1 Introduction 37
4.2 Influences on choice of career 37
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4.3 Careers advice within the education system 38
4.4 Experiences within the education system 39
4.4.1 Learning in a multi-cultural community 39
4.4.2 Student support 40
4.4.3 Getting a work experience placement 41
4.4.4 Achievement and success 43
4.4.5 Racial discrimination in the education system 44
4.5 Summary 45
4.6 Chapter 4: Key Points 45

5. EXPERIENCES OF GETTING WORK 46
5.1 Introduction 46
5.2 Recruitment practices 46
5.3 Getting an interview 49
5.4 The interview experience 52
5.5 Getting contracts 56
5.6 Heritage and culture 57
5.7 Summary 58
5.8 Chapter 5: Key Points 59

6. FACTORS AFFECTING CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND
PROGRESSION IN EMPLOYMENT 60
6.1 Introduction 60
6.2 The ‘glass ceiling’ 60
6.3 Are there discriminatory factors? 62
6.4 The need to ‘fit in’ 65
6.5 Gender 68
6.7 Managing in a diverse workforce 69
6.8 The experience of being the ‘pioneer’ 72
6.9 Challenging the system 73
6.10 Summary 74
6.11 Chapter 6: Key Points 76

7. ORGANISATIONAL ACTION: EXAMPLES OF GOOD
PRACTICE IN THE EMPLOYER ORGANISATIONS 77
7.1 Introduction 77
7.2 Organisational action 77

SECTION 3: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 79

8. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 79

9. RECOMMENDATIONS 82

References 89
Report Annex: Research methodology and sample 92
List of tables in Appendices 100
Appendices 103
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ABBREVIATIONS

ACAS Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
ACE Association of Consulting Engineers
AIA American Institute of Architects
APM Association for Project Management
ARB Architects Registration Board
BE Built environment
BIAT British Institute of Architectural Technologists
BME Black and minority ethnic
CABE Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
CertHE Certificate of Higher Education
CIB Construction Industry Board
CIBSE Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
CIC Construction Industry Council
CIH Chartered Institute of Housing
CIOB Chartered Institute of Building
CITB Construction Industry Training Board (now CITB-ConstructionSkills)
COO Chief operating officer
CRE Commission for Racial Equality
CV Curriculum vitae
CWSET Committee on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology
DfES Department for Education and Skills
DipHE Diploma of Higher Education
FDS First Destination Supplement
FE Further education
GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification
HE Higher education
HESA Higher Education Statistics Agency
HNC Higher National Certificate
HND Higher National Diploma
HR Human resources
ICE Institution of Civil Engineers
IIP Investors in People
IMechE Institution of Mechanical Engineers
IStructE Institution of Structural Engineers
IT Information technology
LA Local Authority
LFS Labour Force Survey
LI Landscape Institute
MSc Master of Science
M4I Movement for Innovation
NVQ National Vocational Qualification
ONS Office for National Statistics
PGCE Postgraduate Certificate of Education
QS Quantity surveyor
RIBA Royal Institute of British Architects
RICS Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
RTPI Royal Town Planning Institute
SIC Standard Industrial Classification
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SOBA Society of Black Architects
SVQ Scottish Vocational Qualification
TSO The Stationery Office
UCAS Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

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LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

REPORT: LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Geographical location of student sample 12
Figure 2: Geographical location of professional sample 12
Figure 3: UK minority ethnic population as a percentage of the
total UK population, by broad ethnic group 20
Figure 4: UK minority ethnic population as a percentage of the
total UK population, by ethnic category 21
Figure 5: Percentage of BME applicants as a percentage of all
applicants for each subject area, 2003 25
Figure 6: UK domiciled BME students at English
institutions as a percentage of all students by subject
of study, 2002/03: first degree 27
Figure 7: Participation by broad BME group as a percentage of
all students in each subject, 2002/03: first degree 28
Figure 8: UK domiciled BME students at English institutions as a
percentage of all students by subject of study, 2002/03:
other undergraduate 29
Figure 9: Participation by BME group as a percentage of all
students in each subject, 2002/03: other undergraduate 30
Figure 10: UK BME domiciled students at English institutions by
subject of study, 2002/03: postgraduate 31
Figure 11: Participation by ethnic group in each subject,
2002/03: postgraduate 31
Figure 12: UK domiciled BME qualifiers at English institutions as
a percentage of all students by subject of study, 2002/03 32
Figure 13: Engineering students: first destination, 2001/02 33
Figure 14: Architecture, building and planning students: first
destination, 2001/02 33
REPORT: LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Percentage of BME people in architecture and
built environment professions 24
Table 2: BME first year trade trainees as proportion of total,
1999-2002/03 34
ANNEX: LIST OF FIGURES
Figure AN1: Ethnicity of student sample 95
Figure AN2: Ethnicity of professional sample 97
Figure AN3: Profession of sample (CABE categories) 98
ANNEX: LIST OF TABLES
Table AN1: Sample achieved 94
Table AN2: Gender of student sample 95
Table AN3: Age of student sample 95
Table AN4: Course of study 96
Table AN5: Students’ place of study 96
Table AN6: Gender of professional sample 97
Table AN7: Profession of sample (detailed categories) 98
Table AN8: Sector by profession (CABE categories) 99
Table AN9: Geographical location by profession (CABE categories) 99
List of Tables in Appendices 100
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
This report examines the representation of black and minority ethnic (BME) people
within the built environment professions, barriers to entry into the professions and
progression in the sector. The research follows on from previous work by the
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and carried out by
the Policy Studies Institute into BME students in architecture.

1.2 Research aim and outcomes
The aim of this report is to explore issues of diversity within employment in the built
environment professions, and to look at representation and barriers to access for BME
employees. The research aims were to:

1. bring together existing information on the representation of BME people in the
built environment professions
2. identify perceived and real barriers to entry and progression and examples of
good employment practice
3. produce suggested areas for action by: employers; educators; professional
bodies; and policymakers.

1.3 Research methodology and sample

There are four distinct but overlapping stands to this research:
Strand 1: A survey of relevant literature pertaining to the representation and
experiences of BME people in built environment employment. This exercise was vital
to establish what relevant research had already been conducted and to identify
whether there were any gaps or omissions in the existing body of research.
Strand 2: A comprehensive and in-depth mapping exercise to determine current
levels of representation of BME people in built environment education and
professional employment. The mapping exercise is an important step in monitoring
any progress achieved, and also in setting objectives for the future.
Strand 3: An exploration of individual BME experiences in the built environment
professions. This qualitative research focused on barriers to recruitment and
progression for BME professionals working in England with the intention of
identifying key areas for action to bring about greater involvement, recognition and
retention of BME people in the range of built environment professions.
Strand 4: A synthesis of strands 1-3. The quantitative and qualitative data were
analysed to produce a final discussion and conclusions, which fed directly into the
formulation of a set of practical recommendations.

A mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in order to
ensure a comprehensive and rigorous research study which took account of factual
information regarding study for and representation in the industry, as well as actual
experiences and perceptions which could impact on levels of representation and
quality of experience. The quantitative data point to the extent of the potential
workforce, and highlight under-representation in the industry, and in specific
professions. However, quantitative data alone have limitations for this type of
research as, in order to develop our understanding of reasons for any under-
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