Entries are now open for an awards event that will champion diversity and inclusion successes in Scotland.

AFBE-UK Scotland, a social enterprise which encourages people from under-represented groups to pursue a career in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sectors, plans to hold its awards event on Thursday, November 26 (2020) at Ardoe House Hotel, near Aberdeen. The deadline for entries is June 12

The four categories for the awards are the Outstanding Mentor, Young BME (black minority ethnic) Professional of the Year, Company of the Year and BME Leader of the Year. Colette Cohen OBE, the CEO of the Oil and Gas Technology Centre, will be the keynote speaker at the awards gathering. Previous winners include BP and Shell.

AFBE-UK Scotland (Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers Scotland) has supported pupils, students, graduates and industry professionals since it was established in 2011 as an offshoot to the London-based AFBE-UK. The group runs several programmes and workshops throughout the year with the aim of addressing the under-representation in various sectors, including engineering.

Dr Ollie Folayan, chair of AFBE-UK Scotland, said: 
"Our awards gala is always a fantastic event which recognises the many diversity and inclusion achievements. It's also an opportunity to hear about successes, and hopefully meet new business contacts and engage with stakeholders and influencers.”

Sponsorship packages are available for the awards gala with a starting price of £2,500, while corporate tables are £1,500. 

The Aberdeen-based organisation has three engagement programmes: its schools programme, NextGen, in which industry professionals give up their time to highlight engineering as a career choice to pupils; Real Projects, which invites industry professionals to speak on their area of expertise, and Transition, which gives students and recent graduates practical career advice through talks, CV reviews and mock interviews. More than 6,000 people have attended AFBE-UK Scotland events in Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: AFBE-UK