1. Social Class and Graduate Pathways: social stasis or social mobility?
Dr. Ciaran Burke

2. Setting the scene
The developments in policy over the last 50 years have a number of themes in common:
Increased participation in HE
A market relationship between HE and the student
HE is the central component of the economy
HE is the major site of social mobility
There are a large proportion of graduates in non-graduate employment:
Purcell et al. (2013) report 40% graduate underemployment
Brown and Hesketh (2004) report 40% graduate underemployment
HESA (2013) report 30% graduate underemployment
ONS (2013) 47% Graduate underemployment
A central question of this research was who gets the graduate jobs?

3. Research Study Research Question
Are pathways of graduate employment influenced by the habitus?
Sample
27 Northern Irish Graduates
Graduated 2-10 years before research
Non-vocational degrees.
18 Working Class
9 Middle Class
16 pre-1992 HEI
11 post-1992 HEI
14 Women
13 Men
Data Collection
Preliminary questionnaire – basic demographic and biographical information
Biographical Narrative Interview Method

4. Applying Bourdieu Bourdieu’s theory of practice: Habitus is: Norms
Values
Dispositions
Influenced by:
Family
School
Peers
Environment
Capitals:
Economic
Social
Cultural
Field:
Social context
Le champ = battle field
Field
Capital
Habitus

5. Binary Classed System Problems/Issues Expectations/Aspirations
Understanding the Market
Pathways
Resources/Capitals

6. Expectations/Aspirations
Expecting to do well – school, university, employment
Minimum standard level of employment
Middle Class graduates
Yeah, it was a, I wasn’t ever not going to go to uni, and I wanted to go…
(Annie)
There’s certain things that I really wouldn’t be willing to do now. I have
a certain level of snootiness (Matthew)

7. Expectations/Aspirations
Fatalistic attitude towards school, university, employment
Settling for non-graduate jobs (long-term)
Working Class graduates
I realised I had a bit of potential in me and that was when I started to take myself seriously as an academic (Rose)
Where I’ll be in 5 years time and it’s hard to ... any job I do get will be fairly low level and something quite low paid, probably in em a big chain again, maybe in retail or the service industry (Fergal)

8. Understanding the Market
Devaluation of the degree
Non-linear nature of the market
Middle Class graduates
A degree will only get you so far (Phil)
I mean people would initially assume, a [x] degree or a [y]
degree, no they want something
a bit different, mostly what you would have is psychology or
business studies for promotion... (Katie)

9. Understanding the Market
You go to school, then university, then a Masters and then you get a job.” Is that how it’s going to be? (Steve)
I think one day randomly – I seen Southern did a Drama course, and I thought, well, might as well do that, so I did. (Sarah)
Assumed Meritocratic system
Limited rationale for actions
Working Class graduates

10. Resources/Capitals
High levels of capitals
Supplement resources
Middle Class graduates
I talked my way into the job, because I didn’t have a marketing degree or a marketing background, but I gave a good interview and I could talk a good game. (Katie)
I think having that job [extra-curricular spin-off company] was definitely important for my degree, especially if you’re hoping to go into professional life afterwards. (Lyndsey)

11. Resources/Capitals
I don’t know, I just try and rely on natural charm (laughs) interviews aren’t my strong suit. (Paddy)
I thought I could go into marketing and PR […] they were asking for two years experience. I was like, I’m only out of university and no-one’s giving me a break, it was just like… (Sarah)
Limited levels of other capitals
Relied on scholastic capital and luck
Working Class graduates

12. Staggered Graduate Pathway
Middle Class Pathways
Staggered Graduate Pathway
I took some time working […] I knew the firm were getting ready to hire again. It was a good time for me to do it, you know. (Katie)
In control
I got a job as an Art and Design technician in [FE College], and did that for about 6 months, got to know some of the staff there, and then basically they brought me back the next year as a lecturer (John)
Long term planning
What I want to do is work for a HR department in the Health Sector (Annie)
Middle Class Graduates

13. Working Class Pathways
Stuck in non-graduate jobs
I got a job in the [nightclub] part-time then I graduated, I got a full time job in a bar and I’ve been doing that ever since. (Mark)
Lateral pathway
I don’t try to apply for too many jobs, every time I up date my C.V. it’s the same stuff. (Paddy)
Lack of control
lottery, really, really because like with so many people going for jobs (Michael)
Working Class Graduates

14. Where do we go from here?
There are a number of implications stemming from this research:
Questions the meritocratic discourses from government policy
Advocates that Widening Participation does not stop at access but should be measured on life after graduation
Lack of understanding the market demonstrates the need for employment provision to be centralised within the degree
Extra-curricular resources are a way of re-balancing resources – these need to be aligned with degrees and given a greater level of prestige

15. If we do nothing then this is the future of the graduate labour market

16. Social Class and Graduate Pathways: social stasis or social mobility?
Dr. Ciaran Burke