{"id":1879,"date":"2024-08-28T15:45:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:45:10","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-07-26T16:24:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T14:24:01","slug":"the-importance-of-diversity-in-stem-professions","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leyton.com\/uk\/insights\/articles\/the-importance-of-diversity-in-stem-professions\/","title":{"rendered":"The importance of diversity in STEM professions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Leyton, we\u2019re passionate about fostering a diverse workforce. This is especially important in STEM areas, where BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds are traditionally underrepresented. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.concept-it.com\/black-history-month-2023-empowering-bame-women-in-stem\/\">ONS data<\/a> shows that just 8% of the UK\u2019s STEM workforce comes from BAME backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not just a question of fairness and decency (although, that would be reason enough) \u2013 there\u2019s compelling evidence that shows the value of diversity. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcg.com\/publications\/2018\/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation\">The Boston Consulting Group<\/a> reported a strong link between diversity and financial success, with companies boasting greater diversity seeing a solid 19% boost in revenue that\u2019s driven by innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/publications.parliament.uk\/pa\/cm5803\/cmselect\/cmsctech\/95\/report.html\">The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy<\/a> has also stressed the importance of diversity and inclusion in STEM for R&amp;D in the UK: \u201cThe R&amp;D sector needs at least an additional 150,000 researchers and technicians by 2030 to sustain the UK\u2019s target of 2.4% R&amp;D intensity. Diversifying and widening routes into R&amp;D and inspiring people from all backgrounds to consider these careers are critical to addressing these challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>We know that there\u2019s more to be done. That\u2019s why we wanted to speak to Quadri Akinrinade, our IT Team Lead &#8211; UK\/ US. We wanted to learn from his own personal journey into a senior tech career. While speaking to him, he also shared his advice for those from BAME backgrounds looking to turn their passion for tech into a career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The importance of representation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One often-mentioned barrier for BAME children is the lack of visible STEM role models who share the same backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During our conversation with Quadri, he discussed the importance of seeing representation in the workplace. &#8220;I remember when I was younger, I went to one of these big companies in Milan and I was able to see someone of the same background as myself working there,\u201d he says.<br><br>&#8220;This just empowered me to go, okay, yeah, I can do it, because for him, he&#8217;s just doing his work, but he doesn&#8217;t know that just him being there has motivated other students into pursuing the same kind of career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sense of inclusion is equally important for fostering a diverse workplace. As a department lead, Quadri explained how he approaches creating an inclusive team environment. \u201cI always emphasise the importance of clear and transparent communication,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&#8220;As a manager, I want to create an environment where everyone can speak freely,&#8221; he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get as much work experience as you can<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to education versus experience, Quadri is very clear on what he feels is more important. &#8220;A degree can get you through the door, but it\u2019s experience that matters more,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;As an interviewer, when I look at their CV, the first thing that catches my attention is the experience. They don\u2019t need to be ready to go, but I want to know what they\u2019ve done up until now.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI like to tell everyone to get an internship,\u201d he continues. \u201cIt\u2019s a mistake I made. I didn\u2019t have an internship in my background, but it puts you within a work environment and you can see if you like what you\u2019re doing.\u201d<br><br>\u201cI think it\u2019s also crucial that we open internships to people from diverse backgrounds,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inspiring the next generation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quadri is as passionate about inspiring the next generation as he is about technology, perhaps as his own interest began at an early age. &#8220;As a young kid, I was very curious about my computer, and the only thing I could do was basically just take it apart and fix it again and play with the whole operating system,&#8221; he says.<br><br>&#8220;This developed my love for wanting more, and knowing more, about technology. I turned this hobby into a career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Quadri was lucky to know what he wanted to do at a young age, he feels that the next generation needs to be inspired by the possibilities of a tech career. &#8220;I believe in encouraging the participation of young and diverse talent in the tech sector and I believe this is essential for fostering innovation and creativity,\u201d he says. Collaboration with schools, colleges and universities is very important.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;One of the projects I&#8217;m actually working on at Leyton is being able to give laptops to schools, especially schools where we have kids that can&#8217;t use these devices. I want to ensure we&#8217;re able to provide and give where we can and just build a bridge that helps a diverse community into the tech industry.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Embrace individuality and follow your dreams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quadri finished with some motivational words, encouraging young people to embrace their unique backgrounds and stay determined in their pursuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;People from diverse backgrounds just need to remember that their unique experience brings a valuable perspective into the tech industry. We have to embrace our individuality and stay determined and just continue to push boundaries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>You can hear more about Quadri\u2019s journey by listening to our <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pENulQWOuRE\"><em>Life at Leyton<\/em><\/a><em> podcast.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Are you interested in a career at Leyton? Discover how to&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/leyton.com\/uk\/your-career\/\"><em>empower your career.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Leyton, we\u2019re passionate about fostering a diverse workforce. This is especially important in STEM areas, where BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds are traditionally underrepresented. In fact, ONS data shows that just 8% of the UK\u2019s STEM workforce comes from BAME backgrounds. It\u2019s not just a question of fairness and decency (although, that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":1956,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,113],"tags":[],"expertise":[],"class_list":["post-1879","article","type-article","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-update-en","category-csr"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.1 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The importance of diversity in STEM professions - Leyton United Kingdom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At Leyton, we\u2019re passionate about fostering a diverse workforce. 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