Untapped talent among refugees and asylum seekers could go some way towards bridging Britain's skills gap, it's claimed.
The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) said that the cost of getting a refugee doctor up to scratch and ready for practise in the UK is as little as £1, 000 compared to the £250,000 cost of training a doctor from scratch.
Other key professionals, such as scientists and engineers, could also have their skills updated for under £12,000, say the charity.
CARA, backed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) have launched a handbook that advises refugees and other groups who are under represented in further and higher education on how to apply and seek funding for courses in the UK.
John Akker, CARA’s Executive Secretary said: “This is not only a waste, it is scandal that more is not done, given that often the applications that CARA receives for support are from people with skills in areas where we are crying out for key workers. Just a small grant from CARA can change a refugee’s whole life and give the UK a key worker."
Frances O'Grady, TUC deputy general secretary, said teh waste of skills was tragic. "In the high-temperature debate around asylum and immigration the issue of skilled academics and professionals has been missed. It is tragic that so many talented individuals are denied the opportunity to maximise their potential, especially when we are crying out for their skills in so many areas.”
Last October the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education the Progress-GB Partnership announced plans to head a £4m project to help refugees into work and plug the widening UK skills gap.
The programme will involve work place learning for those already in employment, and help employers meet skills shortages by recruiting skilled staff from refugee communities.
