Training, recruitment and employment practices in London's film and television companies are making it hard for workers from poorer backgrounds and from ethnic minority communities to embark on careers in the audio visual industry, according to a new report from the TUC.

Published to coincide with the latest 'Move on Up' event organised by broadcasting union BECTU, the TUC report finds that while over a third of the London workforce is from ethnic minority communities, just eight per cent of workers in the audio visual sector in London are black or Asian.

Key findings in the report - written by the Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University - include :

• over a third of final year students on media-related training courses felt unqualified as a result to get a job in the industry; most workers in the film and television industries found their job through an informal contact or word of mouth recruitment;
• there was a general expectation that new entrants would work without remuneration at the start of their careers;
• the industry tended to recruit from within limited cultural circles, with a workforce largely characterized as white and from high-income backgrounds.

Later today (Friday) - at Congress House, the TUC's London headquarters - George Alagiah and Sir Trevor McDonald will open BECTU's 'Move on Up in News', which will give black and Asian professionals the chance to have a series of one to one meetings with top executives and senior journalists from all the UK's major news broadcasters.

The report, supported by the TUC's London office, BECTU and Skillset, says that because of established training and recruitment methods, the media industry in London is failing to represent the communities in the diverse city in which it is based.

As a result, employers working in film and TV in London are not able to take advantage of the whole range of talent on offer on their doorstep. In addition, mainstream media businesses are failing to provide output that truly reflects diversity in the capital.

Dinah Caine, Chief Executive of Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual industry said: 'More needs to be done by training providers and employers to create effective pathways into the industry for all London communities. Training must be accessible, relevant and keep pace with industry needs. London is a world city and its diversity is a genuine asset in the global economy. Employers have got to get better at taking on youngsters from ethnic minority backgrounds.'

Gerry Morrissey, General Secretary of BECTU said: 'Too many black and ethnic minority workers meet a glass door when it comes to accessing opportunities for employment, commissions and progression in our industry. As a result, employers are recruiting from a pool of talent that is an increasingly small share of what's actually available. This is an unsustainable approach in the current context of international competition in the audio visual sector.

'The Move on Up in News initiative is the direct result of a request from BBC News and ITV News/ITN, and organised in conjunction with the BBC. We very much welcome their commitment to this event and to addressing this issue.'

Subscribe to TJ news bulletins:

| Subscribe to our L & D RSS Feed

Related News

• Andrew Mayo's Final word
• Valuing diversity
• PC or not PC - that's the question

Related Discussion Topics

• Legislation relevant to recruitment
• Legislation relevant to recruitment
• Culturally Appropriate Training Design

Latest News

• New partnership set to benefit English employers
• A call to government to pay businesses to pay apprentices
• Talents and skills of all needed to ride out recession, says minister
• Increase in turnover announced by training venues company
• Science and maths graduates are urged to use their skills in teaching