Why the lived experience of ethnic minorities could transform the engineering industry

My site placement during university was an eye-opener to the challenges faced by someone from an ethnic minority background. Specifically, as a Black man.

For the record, it was the best placement opportunity any civil engineering student seeking to enter the industry could’ve asked for.

Nonetheless, my first day revealed that I was and would be the only Black person onsite for the entirety of my placement.

You must be wondering how that made me feel. The truth is I saw it as an opportunity.

An opportunity to tell my story, to educate and be educated on misconceptions about being the odd one out.

This was all happening around the time of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter movement, which most certainly shifted the culture of many industries.

So yes, it was an EYE OPENER.

Why is diversity important to the industry?

I think there’s more to civil engineering than just infrastructure.

Everything you see that’s been built around us stems from the collective contribution of people from various ethnicities and cultures.

We need this diversity in our industry to ‘build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation’. This is the ninth of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our differences help to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’  - the fourth SDG.

Gaining courage to lead on EDI

Two years after my placement, a member of the equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) forum within Dyer & Butler invited me to join them.

At first, I turned down the opportunity due to a lack of courage and not wanting to be in the spotlight.

However, when I noticed that Black History Month wasn’t being marked, I jumped at the opportunity to raise awareness.

I wrote a piece, but sadly it got lost somewhere down the channel.

This encouraged me to get involved even more.

Making EDI part of our workplace’s DNA

I was then nominated to oversee ethnicity and culture within our ENABLE network, which stands for:

• Ethnicity and culture
• Neurodiversity and disability
• Ageism and lived experience
• Breaking gender bias
• LGBTQ+
• Enabling social mobility

The rest was history.

One of the privileges of being the ENABLE lead is having channels to engage, challenge, participate, contribute, and implement ideas on lived experience.

During my first two years, I ran awareness campaigns, many the first of their kind, on:

• Ramadan (through a written piece published across some of our sites and offices, along with online Q&A and a guide for managers and employers)
• Diwali
• Vaisakhi
• Black History Month
• How do you celebrate Christmas? (Focusing on how various ethnicities in the company celebrate Christmas within their cultures)
• What is ethnicity and culture? (a company-wide open mic session during National Inclusion Week)

Ever since, our ENABLE network has embedded inclusivity and diversity into the DNA of our workplace.

It’s allowed our colleagues to participate willingly by breaking down misconceptions by sharing lived experiences.

Using my hobbies to raise awareness

Other ways in which I promote inclusion is by using my hobbies to raise awareness. And I’ve also been participating in activities outside my comfort zone.

For example, I participated in Jump for Inclusion for Toucan Diversity, a disability services and support organisation.

In other words, I went sky diving! The initiative raised £3,000 to improve inclusion for disabled people.

Similarly, I took part in a run for Inclusion, also for Toucan Diversity. This was a solo marathon which I did across a Falkland Island!

I raised £495 to help enhance social mobility for disabled people.

It's also been great to get some recognition for our efforts:

• Runner-up for the Rail and Aviation Community Hero Award 2023
• Winner of the Rail & Aviation Awards 2024 Inclusion Team Award
• Winner of the Inclusion & Diversity Award at the M Group Beyond Expectations Awards 2024

The value of being vulnerable

My proudest achievement is fostering courage and open-mindedness by being vulnerable when addressing issues that underrepresented minorities face.

It’s part of being an ally, helping to raise awareness.

I plan to continue this work and to collaborate with other EDI platforms.

This will help me expand my knowledge and help me develop personally and professionally.