Report Atelier People Atelier People, 13 th of May, 2pm -6pm at the U-Residence •
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Theme and process: o This Atelier was lead by Karen Celis and Cheyma Al Mehraj, who are both members of the VUB’s Equality Team, with the support of Marketing, Communications and Engagement (Marcom) and the project The World Needs You. o The initial theme of this People-atelier was racial discrimination in the Belgian labour market and the transition of VUB’s students of color/with a migrant background into the Belgian job market. o In the end, the discussion shifted more generally towards discussions about racial inequality in employment and racism within the VUB as an institution itself. o In order to guide the discussion, we focused on the following: ▪ What actions can students undertake/can be taken in order to strengthen their transition to the labour market? ▪ Which arguments would you use to convince organisations to (1) actively use more resources to recruit graduates of colour or from a migrant background and (2) continue building on an inclusive policy within their organisation? ▪ Picture this: you are looking for a new job. How can a recruiter or coach concretely help you to match with companies, organisations? What guidance do you need? o The main solution point gravitated around the idea of having conversations relating to the lived experiences of people who face discrimination o The discussion was preceded by a broad introduction, given by Karen. o Participants: about 9 participants in total General feedback from the participants: pleasant talk, enriching discussion.
Report: Introduction and start of the discussion (Karen): •
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Recent numbers about discrimination in the labour market. Report of Unia provided in October 2021 for the last numbers. Higher education gives more employment security to people with an immigrant background in comparison to previous times but that doesn’t correlate with an equal employment rate as the dominant group. So there’s still a huge problem of structural racism It takes twice as longer when you are born in Northern Africa / or if you 2nd-generation immigrant to land a job in Belgium. For people out of the Middle-East aria: it takes 3 times longer to find a job (? – can Karen check?) Another issue: higher educated people with a migrant background are more bound to find a role defined by their degree, as opposed to white people who have more agency in their career VUB has a specific obligation to tend to the 47% of its students who have (partly) a nonBelgian background or foreign o Sidenote from the group: if you’re from Belgium and you’re holding a Bachelor Degree, acceptance is certain, when you are an international student, it is not o Karen: there will always be a money issue: universities need to achieve the highest success and graduation rates among students in order to receive money. International students fall victim to a stricter acceptance policy
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Important questions to raise: what skills can be developed and how can the university help? Not only for students of color, but also white students? o This is a place where you develop skills, but VUB is also an employer. What can VUB do to contribute to solutions? o There are 2 important career paths: non-academic and academic, that might need a different kinds of actions
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More inequality occurs when there is a discrepancy between the group that is employed and has a good job within their abilities + benefitting from the Belgian social security vs. when that’s not the case → Conversely, international students at the VUB with a scholarship or similar profiles sometimes cannot build pension rights or receive allowances, but are still expected to pay for social security. This depends whether Belgium has an agreement with the country of origin. => The university is part of VLIR and VLOR => This needs to be tackled at that level → So it’s important to think about intersectionality when talking about discrimination in the labour market → In VUB policies: you can only have benefits if you are hired in a + 80 % contract. → Other example: most of professors of Bruface teach to the same group of students, they are local students who already have greater access to good opportunities: industry, letters of recommendation, … PHD possibilities. What is happening in the class room?
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About Unia, Unia is an important institution: but it takes long before they process your case. They should provide a service to file in cases of discrimination quicker. Students should also receive guidance to develop the proper coping mechanisms while dealing with trauma in the aftermath of discrimination and racism Practical help? VUB has a reporting point (“Meldpunt”): important to hire experienced experts. Equally, example of hiring an European lawyer who can take advantage of their white privilege It would be helpfull to provide trainings for ‘working in Belgium’, trainings on cultural differences. And bystander trainings for our students.
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1. What actions can student undertake/can be taken in order to strengthen their transition to the labour market? •
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Connection to professors -> teaching staff needs to be more diverse → language banner? → Engage into more conversations with students → Inclusive mindset Establish structural or temporary relationships with organisations → Duo for a job -> Belgian program to have a Belgian senior - Help people, especially young people with a migrant background who can’t find a job - Help with practical things → For international students -> “inburgeringscursus” (or assimilation course’: pay for them in order for them to “regulate” their situation ( or not fall into an undocumented situation)
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University as an employer should deliver on talents of colour. Define what quality is, and provide numbers Reduce gap between discourse and where we are really: acknowledgement is important (VUB is not diverse through its efforts but through circumstance) -> find white allies Organize fair with all these organisations, all their offers -> find specialized organisations that can help (maybe during Kick-Off?) → Keep this non-profit = non-voluntary organisation with no limit of age → try to steer towards the field they graduated in, instill personal development All In One 4 Her (Ali and his wife). Change the assumption that international students should/want to go back and make them feel more welcome Avoid revolving door phenomenon: screening of retention + career path? Use VUB marketing to head hunt and make It less competitive: bigger outreach -> professionalization of recruitment → Focus to faculties where there’s a huge need for talents -> bring by any means people + headhunting → Headhunting strategy (not merit-based hiring) -> use own resources Use app to spread events, is there sensibility training? -> gender sensibility? -> part of mandatory trainings Increase action of information, keep it out of the circles -> starts with student organization Only unite people who want to change
2. Which arguments would you use to convince organisations to (1) actively use more resources to recruit graduates of colour or from a migrant background and (2) continue building on an inclusive policy within their organisation? • • •
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Ali talked about the situation in STEM and engineering. A lot of effort (also financial) is being in order to attract more female engineers but alas Show the benefits of the company -> MAKE THE BUSINESS CASE. But we already have a lot of numbers and statistics. They do not seep in or instill a lot of change Most effective and short pain is to find creative ways to expose the dominant group to the lived experiences of minority groups → Exposure to lived experiences -> being in the same room without being an object of sympathy -> done through movie/reading Other professors need to reach other professors and make it a criterium? Provide proof → Pitfall: white savior problem So we need conversations that cannot fail + timing is key → Rather have a mentoring program of professors and expose them to the lived experiences Involve people from HR in all hiring processes (also in the academic ones) -> remind of practical things to reduce bias
3. Picture this: you are looking for a new job. How can a recruiter or coach concretely help you to match with companies, organisations? What guidance do you need? (For Keep Dreaming) • •
Personal branding: storytelling. Importance of soft skills part Resources & information + consistency -> companionship. Tips & tricks 3
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Upgrade LinkedIn profile -> to attract recruiters -> someone who has knowledge -> media training Teach students about processes, body language Preparation of interview and legal questions or appropriate questions to ask SKILLS -> guide towards skills that are required -> guide you to resources in whatever industry Workshops about negotiating your salary. Someone that is aware of the obstacles different groups face end pay gaps When recruited: how to deal with discrimination: knowing how to deal with it Ask for feedback, handle rejection (why wasn’t I a match) Steering women towards jobs where they “don’t tick all the boxes”
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