YOUNG Asians in Pendle face hurdles at home and elsewhere in their search for jobs, according to study carried out over 18 months.

The survey of more than 400 people found pressures from parents together with poor exam results, a shortage of skills and lack of post-16 work experience were barriers to them finding work.

Now the Asian community is being urged to help tackle the job barriers by taking part in two public meetings to find solutions to the problems.

One in five young Asians in parts of Nelson aged between 16 and 24 are unemployed, among the highest jobless rates in the country. That compares to a four per cent unemployment rate in Pendle as a whole.

The survey, by East Lancashire Careers Service, discovered a number of key problems including:

Poor GCSE results.

Parents pushing children to go into further education rather than training.

Unrealistic goals set by parents leading to problems and 'dropping out' from college.

Shortage of job-seeking skills such as interview technique and presentation.

Lack of post-16 work experience.

The survey also found young Asian women feel bosses see traditional dress as unconventional and not portraying the right image for their company while others felt religious and cultural issues were holding them back.

Ruby Hussain, deputy head of Edge End High School, Nelson, which has a large number of Asian pupils, said: "There is an expectation among Asian parents that their children will continue in education."

Sajida Hussain, 16, of Essex Street, Nelson, said: "I considered going straight to work but I decided I wanted to do A-levels. I think people dropping out from college is a lot to do with peer pressure. Friends have a big role to play and it's sometimes seen as 'cool' to drop out of education."

But Musrat Hussain, 16, of Victoria Street, Nelson, said she did not think students were pressured into staying in education. "The students push themselves forward to try for the best A-levels," she argued. "We were very well informed about the choices we could make, either in A-level, GNVQs or training, and made our own decisions."

Among the solutions to the job hurdles put forward are providing careers advice at an earlier age, introducing personal advisers to help young people prepare for job interviews, bilingual advice centres and better work experience schemes. Gillian Jones, challenge fund manager for economic regeneration consortium Pendle Partnership, said: "It is clear from the initial survey that Pendle's Asian young people are facing barriers when looking for jobs and training.

"The Partnership is working closely with the local community to draw up an action plan to tackle these barriers."

The Partnership commissioned the careers service to carry out the survey on its behalf.

Rather than 'imposing' solutions on the Asian community, organisers want local people to take an active role in drawing them up.

Local people are urged to have their say in compiling the action plan by attending public meetings at Brierfield Community Centre on Thursday and Nelson Civic Theatre on September 13. Both meetings will start at 7.15pm.