ࡱ> IKHg 1bjbjVV .Dr<r<) BB,$$Q"s T$V$V$V$V$V$V$$&)Lz$~/"Q~~z$BB9$~"B8T$~T$:",zd#eC&L# @$$0$#T))d#)d# ^iLz$z$:$~~~~) : 1. Employment and training Employment and training are critical to successful settlement. African Australians want to build their new life and contribute to Australian society but many, especially newer arrivals, have to confront numerous barriers when accessing employment and training. Common barriers faced by African Australians are visible difference, access issues related to English language skills, and local experience in the employment arena. These and many more barriers are often linked to discrimination and barriers maintained by professional bodies. Through the themes and questions in this section we hope to gain a better understanding of the existing support available to African Australians, the issues impacting upon their social inclusion with reference to employment and training, and suggestions for improvement.  If you want to answer questions Only answer those questions that are relevant to you. Access to training What barriers do African Australians face in accessing training opportunities? What specific training opportunities would be most helpful to newly-arrived African Australians? There is obviously cultural practices required for progress in the work place that African Australians need to learn to progress at the workplace. Whilst these may not be critical requirements to perform effectively they are used as basis to discriminate against African Australians, eg ability to be friendly with your boss and chat easily with them. It would be useful to identify the key cultural practices so that training could be provided to help African Australians. Another form of training that would be useful is one similar to the graduate administrative assistant (GAA) program which provides structured on the job training for fresh graduates so that they are able to progress through the Public Service faster. By virtue of the immigration policy, most African Australian migrants are highly educated but those who are lucky to get into the public service are unlikely to go beyond the EL1 level whilst the Australian graduates these African Australians have coached at work bypass them. A GAA type of training may improve the employment/promotion prospects of eligible African Australians. How can interpreting and translation services be improved to provide better access and assistance to African Australians in the training and employment sectors? Employment and training needs Can you give examples of genuine training and employment pathways available to African Australians? None that I know of for highly qualified migrants Please comment on what is meant by securing meaningful employment from your personal and/ or professional perspective? Meaningful employment is that which offer opportunity for personal, professional and intellectual development and enable the person to make optimum contribution to the society. For professionals, the opportunity to contribute professionally is important to feel that you are part of the Australian community. What career advice is helpful for newly-arrived African Australians? Employment services What barriers do African Australians encounter in using services of employment agencies (including the Job Network)? Do employment agencies provide culturally appropriate services to African Australians? If yes, then how? Government, employment and training policies Have you as an African Australian (or anyone else you know) had your/ their overseas qualifications recognised in another developed country similar to Australia? Does government employment and training policy and program design meet the needs of African Australians? Please give reasons in your answer. No. See response to 1.2 above. Employment opportunities What are the key challenges faced by African Australians in finding and retaining employment (e.g. recognition of qualifications, English language requirements etc.)? Discrimination because they are different What can be done to increase employment opportunities for African Australians? Employment programs that give them the chance to prove their competence in their own unique way. With the exception of refugees and family related migrants, most are highly qualified already and need little formal education. The type of training is that which will improve how they interact with their colleagues at work. What are the health, social and cultural impacts of unemployment and underemployment for African Australians? I will define underemployment to include lack of promotion because you are an African Australian. One of the key effects is on self-esteem with consequent, mental, emotional and physical health impact. This is worse than ordinary physical illness as it is associated with a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness resulting from knowing that you are against an invisible but real powerful system that will not budge. It is invisible because you know that it is impossible to prove discrimination. It is real because you are experiencing its effect mentally, emotionally and physically. As an African Australian, if you have not had difficulty in securing employment in Australia, please tell us about it and some of the reasons that contributed to your success? My area of expertise is in short supply in Australia Discrimination in employment and training Can you provide examples of how African Australians are treated differently when seeking employment and/ or training? One example is in the area of promotion, especially in the public service. It is clear that whilst for others recruiters look for reasons why they should be promoted, for African Australians, recruiters look for reasons why they cant be promoted or get the job. Personal example: I spent 13 years in the public service at the same EL1 level, whilst colleagues I trained at the APS 3 level as GAA have been promoted to EL 2. During these 13 years I had undertaken the post-graduate studies in Public Sector Management Course and topped my class Australia-wide. I am sure most of my classmates have been promoted because of this qualification from the course. Every promotion I applied for, there was a reason why I could not be offered the position. Of course there was no formal/informal opportunity for development for promotion. When I requested leave without pay so that I could have opportunity for professional development and come back I was refused on the hypothetical grounds that when I came back there could be perceived potential conflict of interest even if I was not in anyway working on industry related programs. There was no discussion of the skills and the knowledge I could bring back to the public service. I got the impression that the focus was on why my request should be refused instead of my employer taking a little interest in my professional development. By the way, I got top rating in my last two performance development assessments. For me to have the chance to develop at all, I had to resign from the public service. There was no way I could make sense of the treatment I received but I cant prove discrimination. Other examples I have heard from people I know personally: When a manger was about leave her job she brought in someone to train and take on her job instead of giving an African Australian at the EL1 level the opportunity to apply for promotion. Later on the African Australian had the chance to act in the EL2 position. This other person who has now been promoted to become the Branch head was surprised at his performance and confessed to him that the previous manager had told him that she was sure if the position was given to the African Australian, the other staff members would all resign. Without this confession how could you prove discrimination? Another African Australian was refused promotion because she could not speak English. Interestingly this lady speaks and writes fluent English as she was educated in the UK from the age of 15 years and had post-graduate qualification from Australia. A big assumption just to fail her. I have heard the story of a second generation African Australian (as Aussie as they come) who works in customer service. Over the phone she cannot be distinguished from her Caucasian colleagues. One particular customer impressed with her good telephone manner showered her with accolades and compliments stating that she would choose that company over others as a result of the satisfaction with the service received. The conversation ends with the customer keen to meet her. A week later when the customer meets the African face to face, the customer changes her attitude and is unreasonably rude to the employee. The customer later states that if she had known the employee was black over the phone, she wouldnt have proceeded with the transaction. This is an example of what young African Australians are encountering on a daily basis. There are instances where Caucasians school drop outs are chosen over more educated young African Australians because employers prefer a Caucasians. Where customers display the attitude described above, perhaps employers have no choice. What is the impact of this discrimination? Given the difficulties that we face in getting meaningful employment or promotion, this discrimination is devastating because you have no where to turn to. Remember discrimination is invisible to all others except the one being subjected to such treatment. One knows it is happening but cant prove it to anyone or doesnt know how to prove it. How can African Australian workers be made aware of and supported to exercise their rights in relation to discrimination in the workplace? The first step is to prove that discrimination exists in the public service against African Australians. Now it is invisible so people are not concerned about being brought to book. Once it is exposed, maybe there will be the political will do something about it. There is a simple test to prove that it exists. Survey African Australians in the public service, (especially those at EL1) and find out how long they have remained at this level and compare with the rate of promotion with others with similar or less qualifications and experience. Also find out what steps institutions have taken to assist their development. The effect of religion, age, gender, sexuality and disability Are experiences of employment and training different for African Australians based on religion, age, gender, sexuality or disability? Please provide reasons in your answer. If you do not want to answer the questions Can you tell us about your employment and training experiences in Australia? 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