July 15, 2005—Minority Ethnic Representation in the Built Environment Professions, a new report commissioned by CABE (Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment) and researched by the Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London , details the barriers facing black and minority ethnic (BME) professionals pursing a career within the built environment.
The report calls on professional bodies, large employers and sector organizations to develop clear policies on equality and diversity and implement action plans for sufficient monitoring. The report also calls on employers to review their current recruitment policies and procedures, building on existing best practice, with the aim of making the sector’s recruitment processes more inclusive.
The report’s review of existing research and data reveals that black and minority students are relatively well represented in most of the built environment disciplines at all stages of higher education, with the exception of landscape design, but upon graduation, BME students qualifying in built environment subjects are less likely than their white counterparts to go into the construction industry .
Around 35% of BME students studying architecture, building and planning subjects went into construction and property related activities compared to 51% of white students.
Last week CABE launched Making Places, a campaign that urges young people to consider a career in the built environment professions and develop the skills necessary for creating the buildings and public spaces of the future. More information can be found on the CABE Web site.
