Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities "play the game"

Smith Sally, Ella Taylor-Smith, Liz Bacon, Lachlan Mackinnon

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

A recent UK Government commissioned study found concerning levels of unemployment among computing students from disadvantaged, black and minority ethnic backgrounds. The study highlighted that work experience was a factor in increased levels of graduate employment. As such, it is vital that students have equal access to such work experience. This study considers the availability of work experience to 140 computing students at two city centre UK universities. Data analysis considered socioeconomic background and ethnicity to determine if these influenced attitudes to work experience. While students' socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicity had little influence on their interest in work experience, patterns of success in gaining work experience reflected worrying graduate (un)employment patterns, with those from disadvantaged, black or minority ethnic backgrounds less able to secure work experience. These findings have serious implications for university and government policies promoting work experience and highlight the need for national interventions.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)324-339
Number of pages16
JournalBritish Journal of Sociology of Education
Volume40
Issue number3
Early online date11 Jan 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019
Externally publishedYes

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equality
university
experience
student
national minority
ethnicity
graduate
university policy
city center
government policy
unemployment
data analysis

Cite this

Sally, Smith ; Taylor-Smith, Ella ; Bacon, Liz ; Mackinnon, Lachlan. / Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities "play the game". In: British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2019 ; Vol. 40, No. 3. pp. 324-339.
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Sally, S, Taylor-Smith, E, Bacon, L & Mackinnon, L 2019, 'Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities "play the game"' British Journal of Sociology of Education, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 324-339. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2018.1489219

Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities "play the game". / Sally, Smith; Taylor-Smith, Ella; Bacon, Liz; Mackinnon, Lachlan.

In: British Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol. 40, No. 3, 2019, p. 324-339.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

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AU - Sally, Smith

AU - Taylor-Smith, Ella

AU - Bacon, Liz

AU - Mackinnon, Lachlan

PY - 2019

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N2 - A recent UK Government commissioned study found concerning levels of unemployment among computing students from disadvantaged, black and minority ethnic backgrounds. The study highlighted that work experience was a factor in increased levels of graduate employment. As such, it is vital that students have equal access to such work experience. This study considers the availability of work experience to 140 computing students at two city centre UK universities. Data analysis considered socioeconomic background and ethnicity to determine if these influenced attitudes to work experience. While students' socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicity had little influence on their interest in work experience, patterns of success in gaining work experience reflected worrying graduate (un)employment patterns, with those from disadvantaged, black or minority ethnic backgrounds less able to secure work experience. These findings have serious implications for university and government policies promoting work experience and highlight the need for national interventions.

AB - A recent UK Government commissioned study found concerning levels of unemployment among computing students from disadvantaged, black and minority ethnic backgrounds. The study highlighted that work experience was a factor in increased levels of graduate employment. As such, it is vital that students have equal access to such work experience. This study considers the availability of work experience to 140 computing students at two city centre UK universities. Data analysis considered socioeconomic background and ethnicity to determine if these influenced attitudes to work experience. While students' socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicity had little influence on their interest in work experience, patterns of success in gaining work experience reflected worrying graduate (un)employment patterns, with those from disadvantaged, black or minority ethnic backgrounds less able to secure work experience. These findings have serious implications for university and government policies promoting work experience and highlight the need for national interventions.

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Sally S, Taylor-Smith E, Bacon L, Mackinnon L. Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities "play the game". British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2019;40(3):324-339. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2018.1489219

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