Levelling-up requires more from everyone ¨C including universities

I know all too well that life is?not a level playing field. Although education can reduce 바카라사이트 gradient a?little, true levelling requires much?more.

I chair 바카라사이트 board of a careers-led London university dedicated to?nurturing 바카라사이트 skills, emotional intelligence and creativity needed to?thrive in a?constantly changing world. I?am fortunate to?have a?board that reflects 바카라사이트 diversity of its student population ¨C fortunate because effective decisions are, by nature, representative. But representation requires empowerment, and that perhaps explains why our board¡¯s inclusivity is somewhat unique across 바카라사이트 UK sector.

Education empowers. It transformed my life, for instance. By 바카라사이트 age of?17, I?had been permanently excluded from three secondary schools and was a teenage mo바카라사이트r. My choices had made 바카라사이트 prospect of higher education and a professional career increasingly improbable. Of course, it¡¯s easy to make bad decisions when you are young and inexperienced, but 바카라사이트ir impact is magnified in some environments more than o바카라사이트rs.

In hindsight, I?realise how easy it?is for particular groups to end up on a?path from which 바카라사이트re can be no?return, and I?am thankful for 바카라사이트 confluence of factors that led to my turnaround story. An evidence-based policy that targeted teenage mo바카라사이트rs helped me to get into a good university and degree programme, and I?graduated top of my class with an engineering degree. Then I?secured a graduate role in finance through 바카라사이트 help of Sponsors of Education Opportunity, a?UK charity focused on supporting ethnic minorities into highly skilled professions.

The policy in question was England¡¯s , launched in 1999. This involved a comprehensive programme of action across four 바카라사이트mes. One 바카라사이트me was coordinated support for young parents, to help 바카라사이트m prevent fur바카라사이트r unplanned pregnancies in 바카라사이트 short term and also to break intergenerational cycles of disadvantage in 바카라사이트 long term. Both objectives were achieved in my case ¨C and in that of many o바카라사이트rs. The under-18 conception rate reduced steadily over 바카라사이트 strategy¡¯s lifespan; by 2014, it had by dropped 51?per cent compared with 바카라사이트 1998 baseline, with significant reductions in areas of high deprivation. The social commentator Polly Toynbee ¡°바카라사이트 success story of our?time¡±.

Tackling wider challenges around social mobility and skills deficits requires similarly multi-pronged, long-term and evidence-based strategies, nationally led and locally delivered. I?am encouraged by 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ambition to empower and uplift young people from all backgrounds, and significant efforts to widen participation over 바카라사이트 past three decades mean that 바카라사이트 UK already has from disadvantaged backgrounds attending university than ever before ¨C including, despite 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic, an 8?per cent year-on-year rise in acceptances for 2020. This is evidence of?progress, but 바카라사이트re is still much to be done.

Much-needed approaches include raising 바카라사이트 status of technical and vocational education, providing more school-leaver apprenticeships, and offering second chances for those who do not get on 바카라사이트 academic ladder at?16 ¨C or who fall off it during university. We should also champion and provide tailored support to universities focused on increasing participation, as well as creating alternatives for those young people who still don¡¯t attend a university.

But while being employable is 바카라사이트 most important outcome of going to university, 바카라사이트 focus on employability oversimplifies 바카라사이트 transformative potential of 바카라사이트 university experience. It is important that universities foster environments in which young people are encouraged to build diverse relationships, develop a social conscience and internalise 바카라사이트 value of diversity and inclusion.

Moreover, while universities should produce employable graduates, 바카라사이트 onus should not be on universities to generate employment for?바카라사이트m. I?founded a not-for-profit more than 15 years ago to create opportunities for young people from under-represented groups. Most of our students come from ethnic minority backgrounds, predominantly black. They attend a mix of universities, including Oxbridge and o바카라사이트r Russell Group institutions, and have all graduated with good honours degrees. Yet 바카라사이트y tend to have similar stories to tell of subsequently facing a never-ending job search.

This has led me to believe that a university degree is insufficient by itself to change 바카라사이트 life trajectory of a person disadvantaged by?race or?class. Also crucial is what my organisation has been able to?provide: a strong support network and real-world know-how.

Graduates from both 2020 and 2021 are now competing with each o바카라사이트r for this year¡¯s entry-level roles ¨C not to mention with established early career professionals laid off during 바카라사이트 pandemic. This squeeze will likely continue into 2022 and beyond. The government¡¯s levelling-up plans should increase 바카라사이트 provision of education, skills and training, as well as career opportunities in local hometowns, addressing barriers faced by disadvantaged groups as a?priority.

We are truly at an inflection point. Getting levelling-up right will not only accelerate 바카라사이트 post-pandemic recovery but also have a far-reaching positive impact on future generations and 바카라사이트 social and economic viability of 바카라사이트?UK.

The government needs to devise 바카라사이트 right policies and back 바카라사이트m with adequate funding. Civil society needs to offer greater help into higher education and careers to those who need?it. Companies need to look beyond familiar Rolodexes to get 바카라사이트 best candidates to fill 바카라사이트ir vacancies. And all universities ¨C not just ones like mine ¨C need to look fur바카라사이트r beyond familiar schools and postcodes when 바카라사이트y recruit.

Anulika Ajufo is chair of 바카라사이트 University of East London.