Deon P. Green, Gleaner Writer

London, England:

Black Caribbean girls are among a group of ethnic minorities in Britain who have been excelling academically, but face poor prospects when they enter the job market, a report from the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) in Britain has indicated.

The report made available earlier this week found that, among more than 1,000 16-year-olds interviewed, young women were highly motivated and determined to achieve independence and success in their careers. It said that, in the vast majority of cases, their parents supported their ambitions. The report from the Commission says that, despite the performance of these ethnic minority groups, they face "heavy penalties" at work including low pay, poor job prospects and fewer job opportunities.

Among the key findings of the report was that young Black Caribbean, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi women are aiming high and achieving great qualifications with very similar ambitions to white girls for combining work with family responsibilities. The Commission says this is a fantastic economic and social opportunity for Britain that cannot be afforded to be missed.

BRIDGING THE GAP

The Commission discovered that some employers are already doing a lot to bridge the employment gap, but says there is a gulf developing between those who are recruiting black and Asian women and those who are not, even in areas with average or above numbers of black and Asian women in the local labour market.

It was stated that two-thirds of employers in areas with higher than average black and Asian populations do not have a workforce reflecting their ethnicity, while a third employed no black or Asian women who face different experiences in the workplace to that of white girls. The report added that the latest statistics show that young Black Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are more likely than white women to be unemployed, less likely to be in senior roles and are even more concentrated than white women in a narrow range of jobs and sectors.