Two years ago, Alan Milburn MP, former Chair of the Social Mobility Commission, stated that Britain is suffering from deep and entrenched inequality1 and as a result only one in eight children from low income backgrounds are likely to be high earning adults2. As a career guidance practitioner working in secondary schools across the East Midlands, I am continually reminded of the crucial role that high-quality independent career guidance plays in supporting social mobility. As I complete another day of career guidance interviews, many of which are with learners from less than privileged backgrounds, I reflect on the advantages enjoyed by a small percentage of Britain’s population. Research undertaken by the Sutton Trust and released earlier this year in their report Elitist Britain 2019 reminds us that social mobility across the UK is low and not improving3. The report paints a picture of a country whose power structures remain dominated by a narrow section of the population: the 7% who attend independent schools, and the roughly 1% who graduate from just two universities, Oxford and Cambridge3. A key recommendation places importance on high quality careers advice being available to young people from all backgrounds.
‘Good careers advice can be transformative for young people, but despite recent progress made on realising the Gatsby Benchmarks by the Careers and Enterprise Company in England, provision across the country remains inconsistent. All pupils should receive a guaranteed level of careers advice from professional impartial advisers. For those facing disadvantage – or who are at risk of not reaching their potential – there should be further support available. There should be an emphasis on what works in career advice for disadvantaged pupils in particular.’
But despite the considerable efforts of organisations such as the Sutton Trust, the Social Mobility Commission and significant literature that continues to highlight the contribution of CEIAG as a pre-cursor to social mobility4, how much have things really changed?
It is clear many young people facing disadvantage need a multi-pronged approach to enable them to carve out successful and fulfilling careers because, for them, the playing field is far from level. The French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu explored the relationship between social and cultural capital, the education system and occupational structure, and the way in which these constructs support or inhibit social mobility5. From the perspective of CEIAG, Bourdieu’s research highlights the reality that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds often lack the social networks of contacts enjoyed by their more privileged peers. The old saying “it’s not what you know but who you know” is so true in this instance. However, hope lies in the form of a robust CEIAG provision with clear outcomes for each learner that will not only allow learners to navigate an increasingly complex labour market, but more importantly gives learners the confidence to succeed and provides them with a safe platform from which to challenge unspoken expectations around family norms6. I saw a student today who was questioning her right to aspire to university. She doubted her academic, social and cultural ability just to survive in higher education let alone flourish, fearing that her lack of cultural capital would expose her heritage. I leave you with a question to mull over. How can we as career practitioners help learners overcome these significant barriers to progression?
Author: Joanna Welch
References:
1&2 Milburn, A. Distinguished lecture series. Mind the Gap: How to Make Britain Socially Mobile. Nottingham Trent University. February 2017.
3 Sutton Trust (with the Social Mobility Commission), 2019. Elitist Britain 2019.
4 Hughes, D. Careers England. Social mobility of young people and adults in England: the contribution and impact of high quality careers services. August 2010.
5 Bourdieu, P., 1984. Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste. Harvard university press.
6 Law, B. Community Interaction: A ‘Mid-Range’ Focus for Theories Of Career Development In Young Adults. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling 9.2 (1981): 142-158.