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<p>Success rates for lower socio-economic applicants in Fast Stream have been increasing
annually since 2017, with 2021 success rates approximately three times the 2016 figure.</p><p>73%
of Fast Stream appointments in 2021 were outside London (against 69.5% in 2019). Regional
appointments are achieved through the widest possible spread of school and college
work experience opportunities, apprenticeships, internships and Fast Stream roles.
Attraction activity for roles is delivered both country-wide and through online sites
to deliver geographic diversity and meet our levelling up ambitions.</p><p>Steps to
support both diverse socio-economic and ethnic minority applicants are broadly similar
except that partners and the target audiences differ, according to these groups. Outreach,
attraction and marketing is designed to encourage applications from individuals from
all backgrounds and locations via early stage schools, college and apprenticeship
engagement, along with industrial placements. We have developed an inclusive website,
and social media strategy, refreshed the target university list, and are undertaking
outreach with diverse universities and engaging with diversity partners to support
events. Activity also encompasses expanding the range of internships, undertaking
cultural bias reviews of our selection processes, increasing assessor diversity, and
continually improving our fair and inclusive selection processes, for example, incorporating
more regional/virtual assessment.</p><p>Historical barriers to Fast Stream employment
for applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds were highlighted in the 2016
Bridge Group analysis, suggesting applications were more likely to come from less
diverse universities and courses, and from higher socio-economic students, along with
there being less awareness of Fast Stream amongst lower socio-economic graduates.
There was also, amongst lower socio-economic students, a perception of a slow recruitment
process, less geographic diversity in terms of selection and lower performance at
selection stage. Significant improvements have been made against these areas, with
socio-economic diversity improving consistently for appointments in the last 5 years.</p>
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