Research has revealed that women from ethnic minority backgrounds are struggling to realise their career ambitions.

An Equal Opportunities Commission study reveals that although ethnic minority groups are just as ambitious as white women, they find it very difficult to find the job they want.

This is despite the fact the women are often better skilled than their white counterparts.

The 800 young Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black-Caribbean women studied are three times more likely to take a job at a lower level than the one for which they qualified.

And the figures are worse for Pakistani and Bangladeshi graduates, who are five times more likely be unemployed.