Wealthy white men dominate the job market among university graduates

Three years after graduation, white male graduates from high socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to have skilled jobs than other races andclasses, even if their qualifications and other factors are at the same level.

A study published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) claims the 2011 graduate employment rate was 9% lower for blacks as well as people from Bangladesh and Pakistan, compared to their white counterparts. The difference between men and women is less significant, but just as noticeable: 79% of male graduates and 74% of female graduates have skilled jobs, although the overall employment rate for women is higher than for men.

An even wider gap exists between graduates from poorer areas and those fortunate enough to be born in a more attractive place. This means that all efforts to ensure equal opportunities for rich and poor are not yet effective enough.

However, 2011 Chinese-born graduates boast the same vocational employment statistics as their white counterparts. It is the only ethnic minority for which employment statistics have improved significantly since 2009, when a similar survey was conducted.

40 months after graduation, 95% of the 2011 graduates were working or studying, and 69% of them were so-called."White collars", doing skilled work.

While the gap in overall employment rates between white graduates and their ethnic minority counterparts has narrowed since 2009, the gap in occupational employment has not improved at all.

“The study confirms the facts that Hefce talked about in the past, demonstrating that there are significant barriers to achieving equality of results for ethnic minority graduates, graduates from poor areas and women, especiallywhen it comes to skilled employment, ”explains Christopher Milward, director of strategy at Hefce, to The Guardian.

“Higher education can be a serious lift of social mobility, but this requires not only access to the university and success in it, but also a successful transition to a career. This study demonstrates that educationalinstitutions need to interact with employers. "

Universities are trying to tackle inequality by providing more than £ 55 million in tuition fees next year to support underprivileged students upon graduation.

Stephen Bush explains the reasons for inequality Inews: “This is not because women and ethnic minorities study at poor universities or take simpler courses. The Hefce study found that white men with the same degree would have better jobs than their classmates or members of other ethnic groups. Everyone, no matter how enlightened they think they are, prefers people who look and speak just like themselves. White men find it easier to find high-paying jobs simply because the people who make hiring decisions are usually white men themselves. ”

Alexander Zhuravlev