Don't waste talents of local workforce

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alan Johnson has spoken about the social and economic benefits of tapping into the skills and talents of the region's refugee workforce.

Addressing more than a hundred employers, and delegates from the public and voluntary sectors at a conference hosted by Hull City Council Mr Johnson highlighted how today's refugees could be tomorrow's business leaders.

He said:

"It is well know that the Scarlet Pimpernel helped thousands of noblemen escape the bloodshed and terror of the French revolution and find sanctuary in England in the late eighteenth century.

"What is less well know is that one of those refugees was an accountant who settled in Hull, where he lived, worked and started a family. Fifty years later, and his grandson, also an accountant, had grown one of the biggest accountancy practices in the country. It's still going today. And it still carries the name of that refugee who arrived in Hull more than 200 years ago. His name was Monsieur Deloitte."

Mr Johnson said that this was not an isolated example and that Britain could not afford to ignore the skills and talents of the country's refugee workforce.

He said:

"Britain is a nation built from, and by, immigrants and much of the UK's economic success has been driven by migration - some of its greatest companies, and most significant business innovations are testimony to this. Our history of immigration is an integral part of what we are today.

"Getting a job is a vital way of getting integrated into society. Allow refugees to earn a stake in our economy, and society gets a stake in their success. There is no doubt refugees face great difficulties getting employment, and when they do it is often working in a job that is well below their capabilities. We simply cannot afford to waste skills and talents in this way. When given the chance, refugees can be excellent for business"

The conference, "The Workforce on your Doorstep", is supported by the Government Office for Yorkshire and The Humber, and the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Unit. It aims to down the perceived barriers to employing refugees as part of a diverse workforce, highlighting such benefits as:

 

• Loyalty
• Language skills
• A new perspective on the business
• The opening up of new markets - local communities are more likely to buy the services of employers whose diverse workforce reflects that community.

The programme was practical, with expert speakers from a wide variety of fields like Yorkshire Forward, Acas, the TUC, and the Northern Refugee Centre, giving help and advice to local business people on opening up their recruitment practices to allow refugees to participate.

Alan Johnson added:

"I know it's not easy, and that's precisely why it needs the sustained effort of each and every one of us - working in partnership to help refugees overcome the obstacles they face. It's not easy learning a language, a job, a culture all at the same time. But working together, we can all ensure that today's refugees provide local businesses with the skills they need to thrive."

Members of the Work Place Learning Centre team are available to provide journalists and media organisations with expert comment on all aspects of learning at work.

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