Working class students and the career decision-making process: a qualitative study

The evidence suggests that working class students are disadvantaged in the graduate labour market because they lack the economic, social and cultural capital possessed by their middle class peers. This research investigated how this influences the way they approach career decision-making and whether it contributes to their disadvantage in the graduate labour market. The study examined how working class undergraduates in their final year of study at Edge Hill University make decisions about their careers. In particular, the study focused on the rationale behind the approach they adopted....  [+] Show more

The evidence suggests that working class students are disadvantaged in the graduate labour market because they lack the economic, social and cultural capital possessed by their middle class peers. This research investigated how this influences the way they approach career decision-making and whether it contributes to their disadvantage in the graduate labour market. The study examined how working class undergraduates in their final year of study at Edge Hill University make decisions about their careers. In particular, the study focused on the rationale behind the approach they adopted. This research involved two stages. First, students from a range of different types of degree were asked to complete a questionnaire. This provided information about the student's characteristics in terms of age, gender, degree studied and their social class. It also asked about the extent to which students used the careers service at Edge Hill. The second stage of the research involved 30 in-depth interviews with working class students about how they made career decisions. These interviews were taped and later transcribed. The results of the study were analysed under three main headings: financial issues, networks and values.

Excerpt from publication.