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PARN ENQUIRY
APPROACHES TO RECRUITMENT INTO PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS
SUMMARY OF RESPONSES
This enquiry forms part of the research commissioned by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, leading to the development of a toolkit of fairer practice for graduate recruitment into the professions. The purpose of this enquiry is to inform the broader research objectives of identifying how professional bodies can influence recruitment into the professions by employers, and to identify examples of practices that enhance the diversity amongst entrants to the professions.
The following questions were emailed to a total of 377 contacts at UK professional bodies including PARN members and non-members. Twenty-eight responses were received, approximately seven percent, between 12 April and 30 June 2008.
1) Do you have any code of practice or policies or initiatives directed at employers of your members/registrants or at your members/registrants who may act as employers for other professionals in your field, concerning recruitment practices for professionals in your field?
2) If you answered No, why is this?
3) If you answered Yes, please can you provide brief details of what the policy covers and any sources of further information?
4) Do you have a specific policy or initiatives concerning widening access to the profession?
5) If so, please can you provide brief details and the source for further information?
6) Do you know of any employers or recruitment agencies in your sector who we might contact concerning interesting and innovative practice in fair recruitment?
Professional bodies who responded:
Architects Registration Board (ARB)
Association for Careers Education and Guidance (ACEG)
Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (APHP)
Bar Council
British Dental Association (BDA)
British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM)
British Medical Association (BMA)
Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)
Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)
General Teaching Council for England (GTCE)
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)
Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers (IHIE)
Institute of Paralegals
Law Society
Market Research Society (MRS)
Museums Association (MA)
Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE)
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
Social Care Association
Society of Radiographers (SOR)
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
1) Do you have any code of practice or policies or initiatives directed at employers of your members/registrants or at your members/registrants who may act as employers for other professionals in your field, concerning recruitment practices for professionals in your field?
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Responses
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Yes
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No
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N/R
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7
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15
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6
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2) If you answered No, why is this?
Two commented that it was not in their remit:
‘We do not think that this is within the scope of our remit which is very specifically prescribed by our Charter.’
Two specifically commented that they were bound by their Charter:
‘We are governed by our Royal Charter and byelaws and have to adhere to the requirements set out therein.’
Seven said recruitment was not covered by their Code of Conduct (2) or Code of Practice (4):
‘Our Code of Conduct doesn’t cover recruitment practices.’
‘The Code of Practice applies to members and their conduct and doesn’t include recruitment practice statements.’
Four said that practices were regulated elsewhere:
‘…much of our practice is regulated by [other public bodies] because of the vulnerability of people who may use the service.’
Three commented that it was not required:
‘Most [professionals in this sector] are self-employed, so no policy is needed.’
Four did not provide further explanation.
Of those Associations that responded to the question, evidently the majority do not consider this to fall within their remit, or their responsibility, and provide a variety of reasons for this. These responses demonstrate the limits in direct influence professional bodies have over the way employers in their sector recruit new graduates into professional employment. However, what this does not tell us is whether the opportunity to exert influence may exist, and is not recognised or acted upon.
3) If you answered Yes, please can you provide brief details of what the policy covers and source of further information?
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- Codes of practice
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4
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- Practice Guidelines
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4
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- Positive action (Disability, Sexual Orientation)
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3
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- Research
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3
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- Monitoring (Diversity levels)
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2
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- Policy statement on equal opportunities
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2
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- Diversity Toolkit
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1
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- Salary Research and Guidelines
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1
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- Surveying of members
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1
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In four cases, professional bodies have rules for their members who act as employers through their professional codes, which include requirements to comply with employment and anti-discrimination laws. For example, the Bar Council has a rule in their code of conduct for barristers which require all chambers to advertise their pupillage vacancies openly. In addition, their Equality and Diversity Code for chambers sets out recommended good practice for recruitment and selection of pupils and tenants. The Bar Standards Board (regulator) is piloting a new quality assurance compliance scheme which monitors how far chambers are implementing Bar Council guidance.
However, whilst professional bodies are not generally able to enforce good practice in recruitment amongst employers, several were proactive in encouraging good recruitment practices through the publication of materials, both electronically and in print, such as guidelines (4) or research findings (3). For example:
· The British Medical Association has published many research reports and guidelines ranging from recruitment and selection of doctors to dealing with discrimination in the workplace. For further information and to download copies of their reports see http://www.bma.org.uk/. · The Museums Association has researched and published guidelines for salaries and has also produced a Diversity Toolkit specifically for employers in their sector. To find out more visit http://www.museumsassociation.org/
Some professional bodies have taken a different approach and are joining forces with employers and education institutions to bring about change. The Museums Association, The Chartered Institute of Housing and Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals have or are developing positive action schemes in conjunction with employers to help specific under represented groups gain employment in their respective sectors. The schemes involve bursaries to fund courses or training, as well as work placements with partner organisations. For more information on these schemes see: http://www.cih.org/, http://www.cilip.org.uk/ and http://www.museumsassociation.org/
These are just some of the array of initiatives professional bodies are undertaking to influence employer recruitment into their professions. 4) Do you have a specific policy or initiatives concerning widening access to the profession?
5) If so, please can you provide brief details and the source for further information?
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Responses
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Yes
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No
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N/R
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13
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7
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8
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It can be seen that more professional bodies have broader initiatives directed at widening access to and increasing diversity within the professions, than have specific policies directed at employers concerning recruitment practices. It is also worth noting that the distinction between the two is not always clear, as some respondents classified bursary schemes and traineeships for under-represented groups as widening access and others as policies.
Below is a list of some of the different initiatives:
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- Specific research on barriers to access
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4
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- Encouraging outreach in schools/colleges
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4
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- Alternative routes to entry inc NVQ, foundation courses, experiential routes and equivalent qualifications
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4
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- General web advice on recruitment
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3
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- Media awareness and promotion
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3
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- Bursary schemes
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2
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- Conferences
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2
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- Forming international networks to attract members from overseas
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2
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- Guidance for standards for delivery in education
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2
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- Traineeships for under-represented groups
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2
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- Training in good practice
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2
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- Targeted career fairs and careers materials for under-represented groups
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2
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- Equal Opportunities and Diversity Strategy
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1
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- Diversity policy
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1
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- Guidance for university admissions staff on disabled students
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1
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- Offering specialist seats on Council to under-represented groups of members
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1
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- Summer schools
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1
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- Support for various under-represented groups
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1
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Initiatives are targeted at a variety of audiences, including educational institutions (including Universities and Medical/Veterinary/Dentistry Schools), undergraduates, employers, schools, members and the media.
These may be unilateral or collaborative projects with other national organisations to act together to remove barriers and promote opportunities for widening access. Examples of the latter are:
· The GTCE has established a Disabled Teachers Task Force which brings together representatives from a range of national bodies sometimes with registrants who have a disability offering experience and advice.
· The RCVS has been working with multiple partners on the Gateways to the Professions project with the objective of producing careers materials that are targeted at groups that have been less well represented in the profession to date, such as boys, BME students, and those from lower socio-economic groups. · The Royal Academy of Engineering has commissioned the UK Resource Centre (UKRC) for Women in SET professions to conduct a full audit of Diversity Best Practice to inform Academy practice and to provide the basis of Diversity in Engineering Campaign. This comes under the auspices of the UKRC SPIDER initiative in collaboration with the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
6) Do you know of any employers or recruitment agencies in your sector who we might contact concerning interesting and innovative practice in fair recruitment?
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Responses
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Yes
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No
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N/R
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12
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8
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8
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Professional bodies that had completed research or undertaken collaborative projects with, or held awards for employers were most informed and in the better position to suggest employers as potential case studies. For most others, awareness of specific employers and their practices depend on the nature of the sector and whether it is dominated by large employers or large recruitment agencies.
Interested to know more?
Following this enquiry, PARN will be interviewing 10 professional bodies in more detail about their initiatives to widen access to the profession and a report will be available as part of the research outputs towards the end of 2008.
If you would like to know more about the research visit:
http://www.parnglobal.com/diversity.htm
If you would like to connect with other professional bodies to discuss issues about equality and diversity look out for the new Equality and Diversity online forum coming soon on PARN’s website.
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