Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 22 FEATURE
It's everyone's loss if we cannot think differently An increased focus on equality, diversity and inclusion can support the recruitment challenges faced by many businesses in the engineering sector. But there are other clear ways that the approach can benefit a business. Highlighting a personal example, David Bernie, Branch Manager at Mid Kent Electrical and member of the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades’ newly formed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee, reflects on a missed opportunity.
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n a job interview, you say you are there to grow, to learn more about your subject. You do not speak the whole truth; that you are prepared to settle for the amount of money you are offered for the opportunity to work hard. Some of us know what we want to do early in our school years. Others will retire wondering what happened. Survival is the primary reason. If you love your work, that is a bonus. Maybe this is the same for love? Does this person mean everything, or do we need someone to help us with the mortgage? How about exercise? Do you really love running, or do you want to gorge yourself after a marathon guilt-free? Diversity? Now that is a tricky one. We want to be accepted above all else. Let me tell you a story about a friend who did not get the acceptance he needed. This is a lesson about diversity and its vital role in life. I saw it coming, and I could do nothing. When you spot the ending in a film, you get a glimpse. You cannot quite verbalise it yet, but you feel something. I knew I had not heard from him in a while, but I had not realised how long. I will not say something banal like I knew what was on that text, but whenever I receive an oddly timed communication, I think the worst. This time I was right. I remember when I met him at school, his appearance was striking; I had not seen anybody like him before. He acted differently, too, caring, thoughtful, almost too much, especially for someone in his early teens. His father arrived in this country with nothing and in one generation had built a successful business that was set up for the healing
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and caring of others. After numerous interview rejections, my friend was forced to join the family company and was now instrumental in its operation. Our group of friends had a broad skill set in finance, law, humanities, and business. It was his dream that we would rally together for a greater cause, funded by his family profits. This never materialised. Whilst his plan was far from complete, there was a glimmer of potential. A green shoot we should have nurtured and not eradicated from the pavement cracks. If only we had been
more patient, more invested, asked more questions. I lament the negativity we responded to him with. His despair grew. Being unable to channel his resources into something greater meant he resorted to random acts of kindness. He passed out dressing gowns from an upmarket department store to the homeless. He reduced the rent on one of the properties he owned by 90% based on nothing but a sob story. He cleared out the gift shop at the Houses of Parliament to give to schoolchildren. I missed him one morning, so I drove over to his house. The door opened and www.theaemt.com