Stories of family in working‐class graduates’ early careers

Abstract

How do young graduates view the role of immediate families in influencing/supporting them as they start their working lives and how do those reflections affect how they think of themselves as graduates? Social, political and economic changes have led to many young people being dependent on family for longer, but how does this play out in their reflections? This article addresses these questions by reporting upon findings from qualitative research with 14 young people from working-class backgrounds, who were part of a larger study of recent graduates. Figured Worlds theory illuminates data, with a consideration of the role that family plays in the 'space of authoring' and understanding of 'positionality'. Findings capture vivid stories of the enabling but also limiting role of family. In our analysis of data, we borrow the words 'salience' from Holland and her co-authors and 'distinction' from Bourdieu, which help capture different depictions of family. Both articulations of 'salience' and a search for 'distinction' emerge in how graduates' stories respond to family. We argue for a greater appreciation of the differing family resources of working-class graduates, and reject an emphasis on what they may lack, compared to their peers, which has tended to be the case in some media and policy commentary. There are implications for educators to foster student reflexivity about family sensitively, and to be aware of how family backgrounds may influence graduate career paths and students' awareness of wider inequalities.

Getting in, getting on, going further: Exploring the role of employers in the degree apprentice to graduate transition

“…Transitions are shaped by different actors, including families and peer groups, education providers, employers and policymakers (Ecclestone, 2009a). Christie and Burke (2021) and Gaona et al (2019) have explored the role of family members in supporting transitions, and Stevenson and Clegg (2011) addressed how universities contribute to successful transitions. Bathmaker et al (2016) explore the experiences of undergraduates ‘getting in’, ‘getting on’ and ‘getting out’, with analysis in the later stage centred on their preparations to move on from higher education.…”