Key findings
of backgrounds. Only one apprentice in the 2013 intake of 18 was
female, so we are pleased to hear that, of the 71 applicants who were
offered places for the 2014 scheme, 11 were women. We hope to see
this upward trend continuing.
25. By contrast, MI5 has found difficulties reaching out into education,
as they stated in written evidence they provided in September 2013:
“We have explored the feasibility of forging links with schools or with
undergraduate students, but cover and security issues have proved
intractable.” We do not dismiss the security concerns that must govern
the Agencies’ work. We note that MI5 face different security issues
from GCHQ which make outreach programmes more complicated.
We encourage MI5 to continue to strive for innovative solutions.
“We urge the
Agencies to continue
to explore more
creative approaches
to accelerate the pace
of change and in the
longer term develop
a workforce that
better represents the
community it serves
and offers it the broad
range of views it
needs.”
Recruitment – how are the Agencies doing?
26. Undoubtedly, the failure to recruit a fully representative workforce,
perpetuating the imbalance for the future, also sends the wrong
message both inside and outside the organisation about its culture
and values. Clearly, all three Agencies are making concerted efforts
to address this, and these have made some impact as the numbers
of women recruited are rising. It is encouraging to hear of reviews
of recruitment campaigns and the involvement of focus groups in
recruitment to encourage greater diversity of applicants.
27. The use of women role models, training for Recruiting Officers
(such as ‘unconscious bias’ training) and the use of alternative
communication channels are all ways of increasing the gender diversity
of recruits. We urge the Agencies to continue to explore more creative
approaches to accelerate the pace of change and in the longer term
develop a workforce that better represents the community it serves
and offers it the broad range of views it needs.
28. As a general point, we cannot emphasise strongly enough that
professional advice should always be sought on how women perceive
advertisements (MI5 has made it clear that they always do this). For
example, whilst it might be thought sensible to place an advert saying
‘we want the best’, this approach may deter a more self-effacing
applicant and evidence shows that women are more likely to be just
that.
“The Agencies need
to broaden the range
and scope of more
of their recruitment
campaigns to appeal
to middle-aged and/or
mid-career women,
non-graduates and
trainees.”
29. If there was one thing the Agencies could do better, we would
suggest a broadening of the range and scope of their recruitment. In
some areas there is an almost total focus on graduates. While this is
understandable in some respects, we wonder if it is rather limiting.
When it comes to graduates, everyone is fishing in the same pool –
and not just the public sector. The private sector might not be able to
offer the challenge, fascination and reward of a job in the Agencies,
but it can offer significantly better salaries. If the Agencies are serious
about increasing the diversity of their organisations then there are
other, well-stocked pools to fish in. The Agencies need to broaden the
range and scope of more of their recruitment campaigns to appeal to
middle-aged and/or mid-career women, non-graduates and trainees.
The feedback we received from women at GCHQ, and to a lesser
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