Equalities Officer Careers

Work Environment:

As an equalities officer, you'd promote positive attitudes and practices towards specific groups, like people with minority backdrops, women and disabled people. You would aim to ensure that there's no discrimination concerning access to training opportunities, employment, education or services.

Your job could comprise:

• arranging and providing presentations, workshops and training to support equal-opportunities
• assisting employers to get a diverse and balanced workforce
• working in schools to increase potential of kids from minority backdrops

• encouraging community based equal-opportunities ventures to work out plans for change
• ensuring that promotional material and advertising are not prejudiced
• working with disadvantaged groups and local-community services to know their requirements and get insight in the consequences of discrimination and prejudice
• reviewing current practices, recognizing equality matters in an organization and presenting newer policies
• giving advices on best practice concerning staff development and retention, recruitment, and administering these fields
• endorsing equalities events and initiatives, like inter-national women's week

Qualification, Education and Experience:

Generally, you'll require related experience and knowledge of equal-opportunities regulations and issues.

You can get ready for this job by acquiring a degree with a subject like sociology, law or psychology. Experience into social work, human resource management or youth and community work would provide you with a benefit.

You can acquire a course at postgraduate level, e.g. in equality and diversity, race and ethnic relations or disability studies, if you've an irrelevant degree. Confirm with providers of course for admission requirements.

Few employers would want you to encompass a broad work experience into human resources, and membership with the CIPD (Chartered Institution of Personnel and Development).

You might be required to qualify as a teacher, to work as an equality and diversity officer in schools.

You might be able to begin as an assistant equalities officer or trainee, if you've extensive related experience of voluntary work with community groups.

Training Details:

Normally, you'll get training at the work by your employer/company. You might also be supported to take an associated qualification, like:

• Second Level Certificate into Equality and Diversity by NCFE
• Third Level Certificate into Managing Diversity by NCFE
• Vocational qualifications by CIPD
• Qualification at postgraduate level into equality and diversity management

Skills and knowledge:

• diplomacy and tact
• a knowledge of equal-opportunities regulations and issues
• the capability to plan out your workload and meet up targets
• excellent written and oral communication abilities
• the capability to work by yourself and as member of a group
• fine listening abilities
• research and analytical abilities
• the capability to coordinate with different people
• excellent negotiation abilities
• an understanding of cultural diversity and a dedication to equal-opportunities
• the capability to give presentations and persuade others

Salary and Other Benefits:

• Trainee equalities officers can receive about £14,000 to £21,000 annually.
• Earnings of experienced equalities officers within international firms, regional authorities or universities can get around £26,000 to £42,000.

Working Conditions:

Generally, you'd work from 9 am to 5 pm, on weekdays. Though, you might be required to work in weekends or evenings, e.g. while working with community-groups. You may also work on part time basis.

You'll be working within office, although you'll also voyage to community workplaces and associations to be present at conferences, meetings and workshops.

This work area includes handling politically sensitive and controversial matters, which could be stressful and demanding.

Different Opportunities:

You can discover work chances with big companies, civil service, regional authorities, the police, universities, schools and professional organizations (like Law Society). Within small companies, human-resources divisions would often employ an equalities officer.

By good reputation, experience and contacts, you can advance to work as a freelance consultant.

Employment opportunities are publicized with the national and regional press, in job bulletins created by regional councils and on websites of employers.

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