ARE is delighted to have launched our London employment initiative – the Graduate Connector Programme (GCP) – for London’s ethnic minority graduates this May. This exciting one year pilot project will support 100 ethnic minority graduates.
ARE believes all young people should have access to good employment opportunities, across the full spectrum of their career aspirations. However, we know that these opportunities aren’t evenly distributed or fairly accessible to some young people.
Data from Higher Education Statistics Agency shows that Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage graduates are more likely to be unemployed than white graduates. London’s young Black male graduates are up to four times more likely to be unemployed than White male graduates (APS, 2021).
The GCP is an ambitious programme, aiming to tackle ethnic disparities in graduate employment by engaging up to 200 ethnic minority graduate jobseekers aged 21-30 years old, and supporting 100 into graduate level jobs.
ARE will be working closely with London employers to help fill their vacancies by connecting them with talented graduates looking to take the next step in their careers.
Graduate participants must be resident in London (former international students are not eligible). The programme will also support underemployed ethnic minority graduate to progress into suitable graduate roles.
Key aspects of the programme include:
- Culturally competent support for graduates on the programme to equip them with the confidence and communication skills to compete and secure graduate level opportunities.
- In person/online preapplication graduate preparation workshops informed and/or led by corporate recruiters
- Mentoring/coaching sessions to encourage and inspire participants to do all they can to be confident and competitive.
- Working with ARE’s Employer Champions Positive Action Group. Some of these employers will offer jobs, internships, work experience and preapplication in-person site visits to meet key staff and learn about the opportunities available.
- Sharing best practice inclusive recruitment and retention examples
- Culturally competent HR and EDI support for employers.
The GCP will target graduates from Black African/Caribbean, Asian (especially Pakistani and Bangladeshi) and Mixed heritage backgrounds, and based on feedback from graduates and employers.1
Jeremy Crook OBE, ARE Chief Executive said:
I am proud to launch the Graduate Connector Programme to support the many talented ethnic minority graduates that struggle to secure graduate level opportunities. We are urging London employers to get involved and offer opportunities and practical support. These graduates have worked hard to graduate and have better prospects, and we want employers to provide clear pathways to the jobs they have created. We are reaching out to graduates to find out what roles they want to secure and the support needs. The challenge is to connect graduates to the right employers at the right time.”
The GCP has been made possible thanks to generous funding from the Columbia Threadneedle Foundation. More information about the programme will be made available in due course.
Get Involved
ARE is currently looking for employers who have a strong commitment to workplace inclusion, diversifying their workforce, and an interest in developing targeted work-based programmes to support ethnic minority young people thrive in their careers to get in touch.
Contact ARE’s Employment Programme Delivery Lead, Freya Johnson if you have questions on how your organisation can support and benefit from the programme.
1 In a survey conducted in 2023, we asked ethnic minority young people what they thought would help them in securing good employment. 80% of survey respondents told us that they believe culturally appropriate support is necessary to help graduates get into graduate jobs.
When asked why this mattered, survey respondents said:
“It would help with reliability and being able to open up quicker to those who understand some the barriers/challenges been faced.”
“Because sometimes it is necessary and helpful to have someone from the same background you hail from in your corner mentoring you and helping you along your journey.”
“It really helps when someone from a similar background can understand the leg up or the support that you may need to fully understand a sector. They will also know what your true potential can be/is and won’t assume certain sectors are better for you than others based on stereotyping.”
