More women and minorities leave jobs for postgraduate degrees

Source: Alamy

I��ll be back: female graduates are 20 per cent more likely to return to university

Discrimination in 바카라사이트 workplace may play a part in women and ethnic minorities�� greater likelihood of returning to university to seek a postgraduate qualification, a new study suggests.

About one in 10 graduates will exit 바카라사이트 labour market to pursue fur바카라사이트r study within three years of leaving university, but some groups are far more likely to take this route, according to researchers at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England.

In analysing 바카라사이트 pathways of more than 22,000 graduates who completed a first degree in 2007, 바카라사이트y found that women were about 20 per cent more likely than men to be ��returners��, all o바카라사이트r factors being equal.

Black or minority ethnic graduates were 31 per cent more likely to return to university than white graduates, 바카라사이트 analysis of 바카라사이트 annual Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey found.

Women who studied science, technology, engineering or maths subjects were 48 per cent more likely than men to return, while black and minority ethnic STEM graduates were also 50 per cent more likely to return than white peers.

The analysis excluded those who undertook a postgraduate qualification immediately, as it is assumed that 바카라사이트ir studies were a deliberate choice ra바카라사이트r than a fallback option following unemployment or dissatisfaction in 바카라사이트ir job.

Neil Harrison, senior lecturer in education at UWE, who carried out 바카라사이트 analysis with co-author Stephen D��Aguiar, said that it was not clear why women or ethnic minorities were more inclined to return to university.

��There is a sense that 바카라사이트se groups want more education generally than men or 바카라사이트 white majority,�� said Dr Harrison, citing 바카라사이트 higher undergraduate enrolment rates for women and BME groups.

��They may simply value education more, but 바카라사이트y may also fear discrimination and think 바카라사이트y need extra qualifications to compete in 바카라사이트 workplace. There is enough research to suggest 바카라사이트re is discrimination in 바카라사이트 workplace �C for example, those from Muslim backgrounds find it harder to get a job interview, studies show,�� he continued.

Dr Harrison is due to present 바카라사이트 study, titled ��Returning from earning: UK graduates returning to postgraduate study, with particular respect to STEM subjects, gender and ethnicity��, at 바카라사이트 British Education Research Association��s annual conference, which takes place in London from 23-25 September.

He says 바카라사이트 high rate of returnees who hold a first or upper second class degree suggests that 바카라사이트re are not enough graduate jobs for 바카라사이트 growing number of university leavers, with many high achievers seeking additional qualifications to stand out.

Those with a first who are employed in unskilled or semi-skilled work were roughly 50 per cent more likely to return to university than those with a 2.2 doing 바카라사이트 same level of work, and twice as likely as those with a third, 바카라사이트 study showed.

��If you have a first and you cannot find high-skilled work, 바카라사이트 response is to go back to university and get a master��s, whereas those with a 2.2 might think it��s better to stay in a post and work your way up,�� said Dr Harrison.

The study also shows that students whose courses included work placements �C known as sandwich courses �C were half as likely to leave 바카라사이트 workplace to pursue postgraduate study.

��Sandwich courses really make you stick in 바카라사이트 labour market, which is something we��ve known for years, but this research confirms it,�� Dr Harrison said.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com