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Birmingham-based equality, diversity and inclusion consultancy, The Equal Group, has partnered with the Mayor of London on a recruiting campaign to attract more young black men to the construction industry.

The three day event begins today to address the current underrepresentation in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

The Mayor of London Recruitment Drive for Young Black Men is a virtual event hosted by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and The Equal Group, highlighting career opportunities in construction for young black men. From Monday September 27 to Wednesday September 29, attendees will hear from a variety of guest speakers and leading organizations including Balfour Beatty, Kier, McGinley Support Services, and Thames Water to name a few.

The event is being run in partnership with the GLA Workforce Integration Network (WIN), launched in 2018 as part of the Mayor of London’s Social Inclusion Strategy to improve pathways for underrepresented groups in the workplace. As part of this commitment, the WIN Design Lab is currently focused on providing meaningful and meaningful employment for young black men across London.

The Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr. Debbie Weekes-Bernard, said, “The pandemic has exacerbated many of the challenges young black men face in finding good jobs and fulfilling careers. The Mayor and I are committed to tackling inequalities, and this program aims to address barriers that under-represented groups encounter in the workplace. By working with The Equal Group, I am proud that we actively offer young black men opportunities to get into the construction and infrastructure industries. “

The Workforce Integration Network aims to create a more socially integrated city by reducing the inequalities that London citizens face in their everyday lives. One major inequality is disproportionately high unemployment and barriers to access and career advancement. This recruiting drive comes from the fact that young black men have some of the highest unemployment rates in London: 33% compared to 15% for young white men.

Mac Alonge, CEO of The Equal Group, added: “We are excited to expand our partnership with the Mayor of London to attract more young black men to the construction and infrastructure sectors. These are high-growth sectors with a wealth of exciting opportunities both now and in the years to come as the sector transforms to accommodate the circular economy, connected cities and other digital innovations.

“We are proud to have worked with some of the largest construction and infrastructure organizations to transform their approach to equality, diversity and inclusion with a focus on sustainable change. This program is not just about providing employment opportunities for young Black men, it is about changing the way organizations work to ensure that young Black men and individuals from other marginalized groups can have long-term and successful careers in these sectors. “

The three-day Mayor of London Recruitment Drive for Young Black Men consists of presentations, introductions for trainees and graduates, live question-and-answer sessions, and most importantly, networking and recruiting opportunities. Companies involved include Skanska, Affinity Water, Kier, McGinley Support Services, Ground Control, Northumbrian Water Group, Jacobs Engineering Group, ISG, Morrison Water Services, Balfour Beatty, Mott Macdonald and Thames Water.