To Think that Grad & Apprenticeships are now only for Diversity Candidates

Didn’t you point out that their process was illegal? I can’t imagine not doing this as a responsible leader

My daughter heard some boys moaning about their very exclusive private school enrolling Black and Asian children to increase the number of children they get into Oxbridge. This was aimed at her and the Indian girl she was sitting with. They were only 2 weeks in the school; and she has counted less than 10 Black students and only slightly more South Asian pupils in a year of 150 students.

Suffice to say, they have had their end of half-term tests and both girls' grades have left them in the dust in all the subjects they take together. Well, that settled that nicely.

Positive discrimination is illegal in the UK under the Equality Act so if your DS is really being excluded from applying for jobs then he should speak to a union or a lawyer.

Positive Discrimination vs Positive Action

Maybe ethnic minorities are overrepresented because certain professions are now so in demand that they need 4 A stars. Which few white people get.

This is the question what is the selection process.

My point above

So does DH. For years he was the only brown person. It's changed a bit now but still overwhelmingly white.

Totally agree with you OP.

My (white) sons have applied to a few things where points were added or taken away according to background. They didn’t stand a chance as they are white boys from a middle class background. Even their state schooling was disregarded.

In certain places, ethnic minorities are now over represented compared to their population share (Oxbridge, law). I’m all for fair play and for giving people a chance — but this feels like the opposite.

I think the mistake (white men usually) make in these discussions is it’s about THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST

employment rarely needs the (subjective) best. There are many, many young people who could equally smash the shit out of a grad scheme at Deloitte’s/ slaughter and may/ Tesco/ Royal Mail etc etc.

they don’t need to be the best in their school or attending the best university. There are thousands of 22 year olds who could be brilliant future employees

companies are allowed to access those people.

what you’re really pissed off about what the the social contract as you perceptive it has been broken.

4A* tick, oxbridge tick, DofE tick and yet those bastards have the grad scheme to some care leaver from Cardiff WTF?!? It wasn’t worth all the hard work after all

the documentary “try harder” is a perfect demonstration of this- Asian kids hyper achieving then finding that Ivy League doesn’t want them because they’re over
achieving asians

the issue is commonly exaggerated but maybe rooted in some truth, or at least perception of truth.

I work in Banking and no, it is not “the reality”.

“Diversity Candidates”.

🙄

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-statistic-that-explains-why-white-working-class-children-do-so-badly/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/30/why-white-children-fail-the-race-divide-in-english-schools/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-57558746

Often they release schemes in tranches. So it may be that there is a specific scheme for underrepresented minorities and then later or earlier in the year there will be one which is open to everyone. The BBC does the same thing through their extend program but they also have opportunities open to everybody. Keep looking

@Idrinklotsofcoffee
Please indicate the research that shows this in relation to poor white boys. For the last fifty years they have been at the bottom of the pile in terms of educational achievement and in relation to other determiners of success. Most don't stand a chance. There is no equality for them.

That is my understanding too though I would have to check wt DS.

Yes I've been looking for my eldest too, and noticed the exact same thing. Seems really unfair as it's completely swung the other way!

My ExH used to work in investment banking.

one of the banks he works for now sponsors a school in inner London and their work experience programme (the state school one for 14 year olds) is only open to students from that school.

they run a number of internships and grad experience programmes which are aimed at different populations. Some of these are only open to people who fit various criteria.

the general intake however is open to everyone and always has been.

"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."

She could have spoken about a sports team, a volunteering team, a school project team....

And the photos are generally aspirational rather than a reflection of reality. Often if a company is focusing on specific hires it is because there is currently little to no diversity in their teams. There is growing evidence that diverse teams get better business results so it makes sense for companies to hire non middle-class white males.

We can’t ask for ethnicity on job applications here, as those are protected characteristics. I’m so surprised the UK can. (Except to ask if they are indigenous or Torres Strait island people, in which case they’ll be offered the option to enter a different recruitment pathway if they want it). I don’t know anything about that tracker but is it accurate? Or is it just based on who completes it and algorithms?

I do send sympathy. I often see white males passed over in favour of inferior females (of all backgrounds) but not really at the grad stage. More at the Partner/MD level.

Ever since I started teaching we were taught that the worst achieving children with the poorest outcomes were poor white boys.
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/203/education-committee/news/156024/forgotten-white-workingclass-pupils-let-down-by-decades-of-neglect-mps-say/
I did hear a Labour MP recently on Radio 4 explaining that this is the real issue in education today.
Most London Grammar schools are dominated by minority ethnic groups.There is no such representation from poor white boys. There are influential people now fighting to change this. Wes Streeting is one such campaigner.
I remember one pupil from an ethnic minority who had six brothers and sisters. All went to Oxbridge. None of them were startingly clever. His male classmates from ordinary and poor backgrounds did not stand a chance.
Look up the proportion of poor white boys in Higher Education compared to ethnic minority students. Don't take my word for it. There has to be a campaign to recruit more students from poor white backgrounds. Otherwise you have significantly disadvantaged groups who are the feeding ground for far right groups.

But they are expecting a 21 year old’s version of that answer. Not a senior managers.

I’m pretty sure both my kids could make a reasonable attempt at answering that question based on experiences in part time work and extracurriculars.

The answer they are looking for is about how you worked with others to resolve a difficult situation.

Isn't it still the case that most summer schemes are for second year students? In which case, the purpose of this scheme would be to give a taster for students from groups who are less likely to apply to and perhaps less likely to be selected for the second year scheme? So it's in addition to, rather than instead of.

(If first year summer placements are a really common thing now, I stand corrected.)

Exactly - the stupid tests - often AI - that determine whether at age 21 you are a dab hand at situational judgements.

Dd just was asked, “Describe a time when you had to lead a team during a period of instability”. Wth? This is for a grad scheme not a senior crisis management position.