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The Chair of the Network for Black Professionals and former college principal, Ahmed Choonara, contributed to the recent TES article on the hurdles to promotion for ethnic minority professionals. In his article reproduced below, he comments on the significance of role models in raising aspirations and in developing the self confidence and maturity of the college sector.
The recent Annual Workforce Diversity Profile 2007 report published by LLUK points out that in five of the nine regions of England there has been a decline in the percentage of managers from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds in colleges and that in the remaining four regions there is only a small increase. There appears to be a multiplicity of factors accounting for a decline in some regions and the absence of a faster growth in others which I discuss below.
Over the last few years a number of BME managers have left the sector because of a lack of career progress. In some cases lecturers and managers are confused by the vast range of nomenclatures for middle managers in the learning and skills sector and therefore are uncertain about their suitability for the advertised posts in other colleges. In some cases the costs of relocation may militate against a manager moving. In some colleges, the absence of senior managerial role models may discourage BME staff to apply for a managerial post. In some instances BME staff may not be well prepared for the recruitment and selection process for managerial posts. In other cases the failure of the appointing team to understand the benefits to the college of recruiting from outside the norm reference group. The absence of sufficient numbers of BME staff in managerial roles in colleges to act as role models may also contribute to young people from BME communities in significant numbers, not applying to work in colleges after graduation.
In the context of the last decade however, much progress has been made in the appointment of managers and senior managers in the further education sector. In 1997 when the Network for Black Managers was established there were only two BME Principals, Wally Brown and myself and now there are eleven (see map). There are also now more managers from BME backgrounds in further education than in 1997.
Whilst the recent data points to either a marginal increase of managers in some regions and a decline in others, there has been a significant growth of learners from BME backgrounds in almost all regions. Learners from BME backgrounds constitute a significant proportion of students in colleges – from approximately ten percent in the North East region, to approximately fifty seven per cent in Greater London. The presence of BME staff with managerial responsibilities in colleges is important in order that they provide the positive role models that BME colleagues and learners are guided by and aspire to. It is also worth noting the positive role models from the BME communities may have more profound and longer lasting influence that goes beyond the religious and race divide.
To avoid confusion in the discussion of role models, some clarification would be appropriate. The term “role model” first appeared in Robert K Merton’s research of the socialisation of medical students when he hypothesized that individuals compare themselves with “reference groups” of people who occupy a role which the individual aspires to.
It is important that we distinguish between inspirational and aspirational models. People like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, Barack Obama, Robin Cook, Mother Teresa and others may provide us with inspiration because of their beliefs, values, commitment to social justice, their integrity and the journeys they travelled to achieve their goals. Whilst individually they may provide us with much inspiration, they cannot be role models for the vast majority of us since we only get a snapshot of their lives and we do not aspire to the same roles.
I would also suggest that role models, per se, may not entirely determine our career choices and pathways but they do influence us in many different ways in the careers we choose. They certainly did to my career. In the 1960s when I was a studying for “A” levels at Stretford Technical College in Manchester, two lecturers, Mr Holden and Mr Overall gave me the support, encouragement and guidance which subsequently allowed me to develop a career in further education. In brief, role models can influence us in terms of aspirations and their influence is of an enduring kind. Furthermore, it is important to note that role models are not appointed as such and people become role models because of their innate characteristics and the progress they achieved in their careers, frequently being unaware that they are role models. In the majority of cases, it is reasonable to suggest that role modelling is not a conscious choice but occur because people see in the role model characteristics which they admire and which they aspire to.
Some characteristics that one would expect of a role model in the learning and skills sector are:
• Passionate about learning, the need of learners and the management of that learning;
• Highly visible and accessible;
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness;
• Empathy – to see through the eyes of others;
• Emotionally intelligent;
• Good listeners;
• For staff at least 2-3 tiers above them in the organisation;
• Integrity, honesty and fairness in their dealings with students and staff
• Willingness to go that extra mile in pursuit of values and excellence;
It is interesting to note that role models also change over time and place. It is unlikely that senior bank executives would be the chosen role models today for many professional people. Similarly staff perceived as opportunists, who are willing to compromise their principles for either expediency or to further their careers are rarely cited as positive role models. In brief, let us open the debate on how role models could make a greater contribution in the learning and skills sector and make a real, positive and an enduring difference to the lives of the people we serve.
Ahmed Choonara
Former Principal and Chair of the Network for Black Professionals
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