Diversity in Employment
 

There was an article on the news this morning citing the fact that the employment of train drivers was not diverse enough. What they were saying was that the majority of drivers were white male and over thirty years old.

I took a train drivers test course some years back, because I had the chance, was interested and luckily for me, not needing employment.

Twenty-eight participants and we had already had to study a book they had sent us, and there were people from several cultures and of various colours, no women.

I spoke with the examiners several times and established that no women actually applied.

I was the last man standing, white male and over thirty years old, but then I dipped out on the last test involving reaction and recognition under pressure; I was informed that a chap on the last course, in the same position and failing had been a helicopter pilot.

People bang on about the lack of diversity in employment but surely, if people cannot pass the test, that should be where it stops? I dread to think what these "helpful" types would propose as a solution.

I think what is meant is why aren't employers getting applications from certain groups.
What is it that stops them from applying?

Btw how was the tests? I do read how they are always crying out for drivers, yet everyone I've seen go through it say how few jobs there are and how long the process is?

This is why they lowered the standards for joining the Police force,, to make it easier for certain groups to join whether they were suitable candidates or not.:shrug:

It sounds like 'lowering the standards' is the new 'changing the criteria'. That's not to say there is no room for a 5' 2" bobby, there is after all more room for them.

There is usually nothing wrong with the original criteria, it's just that applicants lacking the all round ability are weeded out, a good thing, and the recruitment methods are inadequate, a bad thing. Then they change the good thing. And 'they' think we don't notice.

we could say there is not enough diversity with Brownie leaders, no men if any at all.
I was once asked to consider being a Brownie helper but declined, male with little girls... no thanks. Whilst factually correct, what is the point I'm making, not many men if any are Brownie leaders, I'm not suggesting there should be more.

Happens in many areas of life not all is "sinister"

macafee2

There were loads of logical puzzles, and grammar tests. A really great set of physics tests, e.g. if this cog goes that way, which way and at how many revolutions will the seventh cog go, stuff I thoroughly enjoyed.

After each test period everybody adjourns to a lounge for tea and coffee, then some, those remaining, are called back in. Finally, when they shut the door behind me, I was on my own and to be honest, they were extremely fair giving me several attempts at the last test.

I was lucky not to need a job, just thought I'd try it out, but you could see some of the applicants were desperate for employment.

The job was as a depot driver to bring trains up ready for the mainline, but the tests covered all mainline work, very interesting.

topman above has it absolutely right.

There is a lot written about diversity and lowering of standards by ill-informed people.

In my own field, engineering, there has been much focus on diversity in relation to the lack of women in the field. The reason - as my wife explains very well - is that 35 years ago most females of school leaving age in relatively rural Suffolk and other similar areas were automatically expected to go into the traditional female jobs such as secretarial, administration etc.

A lot of work has been done to attract females into engineering and in my view for the better. All the female engineers that I have worked alongside or have mentored in engineering have been as good as their male counterparts. The end result is that the situation in relation to a minority group in this particular profession has seen a significant change in diversity whilst any change in standards has been upwards.

There is also the question of whether the tests are relevant to the job and if not, whether they unreasonably prevent one or more groups of the population from succeeding. An example would be questions on English history of the middle ages in a test for a train driver role. Whilst removing such a question may be perceived by some as a lowering of standards, the relevance of such a question to train driver performance would be questionable.

I would have thought businesses would have learnt from WW2 and know if woman were up to engineering roles. Who were manning our factories?

macafee2

But this is my point, it is not businesses that were discriminating against women in engineering, but rather norms in society leading women not to think naturally about a career in engineering. Conversely, businesses have not had to change their requirements or standards in order to attract more women into engineering. The change has come about by making engineering an option that increasing numbers of women will naturally consider for a career.

Spot on. They have been. Just not in the right proportion and numbers to satisfy feminist activists who will not rest until that unreachable target is attained throughout nationwide employment. No matter what damage they do to attitudes. No, sorry, except those they deem unsuitable.

I worked in two industries that had an enviable female work force (in terms of numbers, performance and seniority). I never met a woman in the industry that could not compete on equal terms with the male personnel.

The fact is the same percentage of women just are not attracted to random industries when alternatives are available. So the activists force it -in selected sectors. Great strategy!

Leaving Hollywood syndrome aside, I have worked for 60 years in 5 different sectors with absolutely no misogynism in evidence and women working on similar levels with similar opportunities.