Kickstart Your Tech Diversity Pledge

Thanks to the government Kickstart Scheme, unemployed young people are being presented with new opportunities. They will be able to gain valuable work experience in the digital tech Industry, which boasts long-term job prospects for an entire generation.

The UK tech sector is driving growth in youth employment with 1 in 6 openings in the digital tech sector suitable for entry-level jobseekers, according to job search engine Adzuna. There are multiple ways through which young people are able to access the tech industry, including entry-level roles targeting 16 to 24-year-olds, through apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and internships. Adzuna has identified 20,302 advertised vacancies that are particularly suitable for young people, including the government’s Kickstart Scheme, which is aimed at placing young people who are currently receiving universal credit.

The Kickstart Scheme allows tech employers the opportunity to ensure that every young person, regardless of their background, is given an opportunity to achieve their goals and contribute to the digital tech industry. Prior to COVID 19, however, young black men faced some of the highest unemployment rates in London—a shocking 33% compared to 15% for young white men, according to the London Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN), which was launched to help to improve pathways for underrepresented groups in the workplace. To address the gap of young black men becoming unemployed, the WIN programme will begin by supporting young black men aged 16 to 24 into living wage employment in London. According to the Office for National Statistics, unemployment among young black male jobseekers had increased from 28.8% in 2008 to 55.9% in the last three months of 2011.

The recent unemployment rate for young black men shows that we are headed in the same direction as in 2011, where 50% of black males were unemployed, and therefore, the Kickstart Scheme will help to prevent this from occurring after the Corona Virus pandemic.

One in three black and other ethnic minority workers have reported being unfairly turned down for jobs, pay rises, or a promotion, despite having the requisite skills and experience needed.

By selecting candidates that make up London’s diverse backgrounds, especially those young people who are under-represented in the industry, we can help to change this. We are requesting that businesses open the doors for black and other ethnic minority young people who are experiencing double the rate of unemployment than their white counterparts, by pledging to recruit young people from BAME backgrounds.

Why become a stakeholder of Kickstart TECH Pledge?

Hiring young people from a diverse culture boosts productivity, cultivates talent, and builds a diverse workforce.

Improve creativity and productivity within your team.

Build a rich relationship with London’s diverse communities.

Improve diversity and inclusion in the digital and tech industry.

Empower those who are underrepresented in the digital tech industry and build a fairer society. Reduce the disproportionality in youth unemployment among black and other ethnic minority young people. Kickstart your recruitment pledge by completing the form below: