Daring To Be Different: diversity in training and work

Daring To Be Different: diversity in training and work is a one-day conference co-hosted by the Equal Opportunities Commission, Apprenticeships Task Force and CITB-ConstructionSkills to address why the concentration of women and men in different kinds of training and work and the under-representation of ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities is damaging Britain’s economy.

More than 150 employers and other organisations from a range of sectors will be attending the conference to share best practice and discuss their views.

Employers will present the practical solutions they are using to benefit their business and help close skills gaps, and apprentices will share their own accounts of working in non-traditional occupations.

Conference speakers include
Ivan Lewis MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills and Vocational Education Sir Roy Gardner, Chief Executive Centrica plc and Chairman, Apprenticeships Task Force Dr Isabella Moore CBE, Director of CILT, National Centre for Languages and Member of Apprenticeships Task Force Caroline Slocock, Chief Executive, Equal Opportunities Commission Susan Anderson, Director, Human Resources Policy, Confederation of British Industry Frances O’Grady, Deputy General Secretary, TUC and Member of Apprenticeships Task Force Howard Maylard, Operations Director, CITB-ConstructionSkills Stephen Gardner, Director of Work-based Learning, Learning and Skills Council Surinder Sharma, Director, Equality and Human Rights, NHS, EOC Commissioner and Member of Apprenticeships Task Force

The conference is being held in the run-up to the launch of the EOC’s final report from its unique investigation into sex segregation in training and work. The report is due to be launched on 31 March. The conference will also hear presentations from the ATF’s diversity report including employer case studies.

To reserve a press place at the conference or for enquiries about the event please contact Dominy Jowers in the EOC press office: email dominy.jowers@eoc.org.uk, tel 020 7960 7409.

If you are unable to attend but would like to cover the event, a news release will be issued under embargo for use on Friday 18 March. Facts and figures, spokespeople and employer and apprentice case studies are also available. Please contact the EOC press office in the first instance for more details.

Conference programme
9.30am - Registration, refreshments
10.00am - Welcome and Introduction - Surinder Sharma, Conference Chair, EOC Commissioner and Member, Apprenticeships Task Force
10.10am - Ivan Lewis, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills and Vocational Education
10.25am - Isabella Moore, Member, Apprenticeships Task Force
10.40am - Caroline Slocock, Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission
10.55am - Andrew Watson, Consultant, ASW Consulting 11.10am - Tea/coffee
11.30am - Howard Maylard, Operations Director, CITB-ConstructionSkills
11.40am - Di Barber, Equality and Diversity Adviser, CITB-ConstructionSkills
11.55pm - Employer case studies: British Gas, Keepmoat, Sheffield Children’s Centre, Alderman Tooling Ltd, Connaught Properties Ltd.
12.35pm - Employers Panel session - Q & As
12.50pm - Lunch
2.00pm - Apprentices talking about their own experiences - moderated by Isabella Moore, Member, Apprenticeships Task Force: British Gas, Sheffield Children’s Centre, Jaguar, Jenkins & Potter, DML, Connaught Properties
2.50pm - Panel session chaired by Andrew Watson, Consultant, ASW

Consulting: Susan Anderson, Director, Human Resources Policy, Confederation of British IndustryFrances O’Grady, Deputy General Secretary, TUC and Member, Apprenticeships Task Force Stephen Gardner, Director of Work-based Learning, Learning and Skills Council 3.20pm Workshops: round table discussions 3.50pm Plenary - key issues from discussions 4.00pm4.10pm Sir Roy Gardner, Chairman, Apprenticeships Task ForceClose

- Surinder Sharma, Director, Equality and Human Rights, NHS, an EOC Commissioner and Member, Apprenticeships Task Force