Monday 23 May 2022 10:46 AM Kent IT expert, 36, claimed he was turned down for a BBC job because he was not ... trends now
An IT expert tried to sue the BBC after claiming it turned him down for a job - because he was not 'geeky' enough.
James Orior, 36, from Kent, applied for a digital design trainee scheme at the corporation that called for people who are 'geeky' about design and technology.
He argued at an employment tribunal that he was not selected for an interview due to being discriminated because of his age.
But the judge threw out the 36-year-old's case as he said Mr Orior did not explain how not being 'geeky' had anything to do with age or created a 'disadvantage'.
He also tried to claim disability discrimination citing his Type 1 diabetes, a stammer, and an 'adjustment disorder' but it was rejected too.
A further claim for racial discrimination on the basis he is a black African Nigerian was also dismissed.
James Orior (pictured), 36, from Kent, applied for a digital design trainee scheme at the corporation that called for people who are 'geeky' about design and technology
He argued at an employment tribunal that he was not selected for an interview due to being discriminated because of his age
The original BBC job description for a UX design trainee said the ideal candidate would be 'enthusiastic about what they do, and a delight to work with; motivated and full of ideas; geeky about design; geeky about technology'.
Mr Orior, who works as a 'freelance User Experience Architect', and is from Dartford, then applied for the position and was not shortlisted for an interview in August 2020.
The BBC wanted four recruits to design digital experiences and of the 1,340 people who applied 26 candidates were shortlisted.
They were required to provide portfolios containing details of their design ideas.
In response the BBC emailed Mr Orior saying he needed: 'More attention to the craft and detail of your design work - thinking about the typography, brand, interaction design and the layout of your designs.'
It also said he required: 'Further and more in-depth thinking about solving user-centred problems in new ways by trying out new and emerging techniques and technologies.'
He was also advised to provide 'more than two projects to showcase a more diverse range of work and tackling different sorts of problems'.
Later Mr Orior filed legal papers saying the BBC had 'made up' up its feedback and said he was treated 'less
