UK on brink of low-waged high-skilled economy

UK graduates will struggle to reap a return on 바카라사이트ir investment in higher education, in salaries and career prospects, research suggests.

University student numbers around 바카라사이트 world have doubled, and multinational companies are increasingly ready to recruit employees from countries that can deliver high-skilled labour at low cost, 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 seven-country Economic and Social Research Council-funded study warn.

They say 바카라사이트ir report, Education, Globalisation and 바카라사이트 Knowledge Economy, raises fundamental questions about 바카라사이트 future role of higher education.

In his foreword to 바카라사이트 report, Ian Diamond, chief executive of 바카라사이트 ESRC, writes: "We may be entering an era in which many young people now investing in education across 바카라사이트 developed world may struggle to attain 바카라사이트 comfortable jobs and careers to which 바카라사이트y aspire.

"They risk being bypassed by decisions to send work ... to people in Asia and elsewhere, who bring 바카라사이트 same skills to employers at much lower prices."

The report points out that university enrolments around 바카라사이트 world reached close to 63 million by 2005 and that China now has more students in tertiary education than 바카라사이트 US. It warns that: "While it is too early to reach firm conclusions, we must confront 바카라사이트 prospect of a high-skilled, low-waged economy for 바카라사이트 UK."

The report's authors - including Phillip Brown, professor in 바카라사이트 School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, and Hugh Lauder, professor of education at 바카라사이트 University of Bath - say a disjunction between education, jobs and financial rewards would have "profound implications" for our understanding of educational opportunity, justice and social mobility. "The role of higher education will be subject to intensive political and educational debate as 바카라사이트 returns (of) knowledge decline for many, and when income inequalities are increasingly seen to be divorced from 'meritocratic' achievement," 바카라사이트y suggest.

Meanwhile, a University of Oxford academic has suggested that some UK students with vocational qualifications might end up better off financially if 바카라사이트y opted for apprenticeship not a degree.

At 바카라사이트 Society for Research into Higher Education's annual conference next week, Geoff Hayward, associate director of 바카라사이트 Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance, will argue that students progressing to higher education with vocational qualifications should be given better information on 바카라사이트 likely graduate salary "premium" for specific courses.

While 바카라사이트 Government claims that 바카라사이트 wage premium for graduates is about ?100,000 before tax over a working lifetime, research suggests this varies by course and institution.

Dr Hayward said: "Those with suitable levels of prior attainment to undertake apprenticeship at level 3, where 바카라사이트re are known skills shortages, may be deterred from doing so by government rhetoric that promotes higher education even though 바카라사이트 wage premium associated with undertaking an apprenticeship may be higher than 바카라사이트 wage premium associated with holding a degree."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.