Aberdeen-based social enterprise calls for award entries to recognise diversity achievements

'Always a fantastic event': Ollie Folayan, chair of AFBE-UK Scotland. Picture: contributed.

AFBE-UK (Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers) Scotland, a social enterprise that encourages people from under-represented groups to pursue a career in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors, is holding its awards event on 26 November at Ardoe House Hotel, near Aberdeen. Colette Cohen, head of the Oil & Gas Technology Centre, will be the keynote speaker.

The four award categories comprise outstanding mentor, young BME (black minority ethnic) professional of the year, company of the year, and BME leader of the year.

Ollie Folayan, chairman of AFBE-UK Scotland, said: “Our awards gala is always a fantastic event which recognises the many diversity and inclusion achievements.

“It’s also an opportunity to hear about successes, and hopefully meet new business contacts and engage with stakeholders and influencers.”

AFBE-UK Scotland has supported pupils, students, graduates and industry professionals since it was established in 2011 as an offshoot to the London-based AFBE-UK.

Boosting representation

The group runs several programmes and workshops throughout the year with the aim of addressing the under-representation in various sectors, including engineering.

It has three engagement programmes: its schools programme, NextGen, in which industry professionals give up their time to highlight engineering as a career choice to pupils; Real Projects, which invites industry professionals to speak on their area of expertise, and Transition, which gives students and recent graduates practical career advice through talks, CV reviews and mock interviews.

More than 6,000 people have attended AFBE-UK Scotland events in Aberdeen and Edinburgh.