Racism is still scarring Britain's workplaces, damaging the career prospects of many black workers, the TUC has warned.
Black workers at every level of working life are getting fewer training opportunities, despite often being better qualified than their white counterparts, it added.
The union body has launched a report to coincide with its annual Black Worker's conference.
Even though job-related training was more likely to be offered to qualified workers; qualified black and minority ethnic (BME) workers received fewer opportunities, it found.
More than a quarter – 28 per cent – of BME workers were graduates, compared with just 20 per cent of white workers.
Yet while having a degree significantly increases access to job-related training, only 17 per cent of white graduates had never been offered training, compared with 20 per cent of black workers.
Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: "Racism at work is still preventing too many black workers from fulfilling their potential. We need new legislation that will force all employers to give equal access to training for all workers."
Certain ethnic groups, in particular Pakistani and Bangladeshi employees, faced real barriers to training opportunities, the TUC warned.
Nearly two fifths (39 per cent) of Pakistani employees and nearly half (47 per cent) of Bangladeshi employees had never been offered training.
In the case of Bangladeshi men, this rose to more than half (51 per cent).
