Apprenticeship take-up remains low among the ethnic minorities

Coun Mohammed Rafique, executive member for employment, enterprise and opportunity, said: “The take-up of apprenticeships from ethnic minorities is not at the level where we would like to see it.”

Coun Rafique added that this was down to a lack of awareness of the opportunities that apprenticeships provide.

He said: “There’s still a myth that apprenticeships are related to the construction industry – electricians, plumbers and all those kinds of things. Well that’s not the case.

“Apprenticeships can happen at any level, from somebody working as a trainee accountant to even a legal executive. It’s one of the ways forward.”

Coun Rafique made the comments during Grant Thornton’s Live Lab event, which brought together around 300 people from various sectors to see how Leeds can create more inclusive growth.

The Live Lab was run using an ‘appreciative inquiry’, engaging stakeholders in self determined change.

One of the suggestions out of the day-long inquiry was that Leeds should create a business charter with a shared ambition for a vision of a compassionate city.

Last year, Grant Thornton’s Vibrant Economy Index found that Leeds scores below the national average in inclusion and equality, with unemployment inequality based on ethnicity at the second highest level in the City Region. Leeds also has the highest level of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETS).

Andy Wood, practice leader at Grant Thornton Yorkshire, said: “Leeds is already a vibrant city and we know that. We can see it, we can feel it in terms of the progress we’ve made. There’s so much going on.”

However, prosperity of the city is not being shared with everybody, Mr Wood said, and that it is incumbent on all sectors; private, public and third sector to ensure that economic prosperity is more broadly connected.

“We need to make sure that everybody benefits,” Coun Rafique said. “Particularly those who are living in some of our inner-city areas who can benefit from those opportunities.”

He added: “We need to work with our partners, particularly businesses and the education sector – universities and schools – to make sure that young people when they’re leaving school they’ve got skills to take up those opportunities.”

Stuart Clarke, director of Media Yorkshire, a membership organisation for creative, digital and marketing agencies, was also present at the Live Lab.

Mr Clarke called on the digital industry to reach out to more minority groups in the city.

He said: “Don’t just expect your graduate workforce to come from say Leeds University. Reach out to all parts of the city. There’s a lot of talent out there.

“If companies are not reaching out to every single available person in the city then they are going to lose out on fantastic talent.

“It’s key that we push ourselves out as a digital industry and make sure that we go into schools and inner-city areas.”

Mr Clarke also said the City Region would benefit from having an elected mayor as that would provide a “cohesive structure” and clearer communication.

Mr Clarke praised Grant Thornton for hosting the Live Lab and bringing different sectors together.

He said: “I think it’s important that everybody contributes as much as they can from all sorts of organisations. Sometimes we just leave things and expect the city councils and the LEPs to get on with things.

“I think every single organisation, every single company should be making an effort to contribute and try to shape the type of city we want Leeds to be.”

Positive thinking at Live Lab

The appreciative enquiry looks at issues from a positive perspective. The Live Lab was split into three stages.

The discovery stage looked at what was great about the city and what else needed to be done. The dream phase looked at what the city could look like. While the design phase came up with concrete actions that could be taken to improve the city.

The appreciative enquiry also came up with suggestions such as Leeds launching a bid to host the Olympics, the construction of a time capsule and free breakfasts provided from food waste for every primary school child in the city every day.

Leeds is the fifth city to host a Live Lab with the event previously being held in Sheffield, Reading, Manchester and Birmingham. Around 300 delegates came to the event.

“I’m humbled by the number of people we’ve managed to get into the room today,” said Andy Wood, practice leader at Grant Thornton Yorkshire.