Published on : Fri, 28 Oct 2005 09:24GMT
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Graduates from low income families are more likely to end up in jobs that do not require a degree, according to a study. The main reason for their plight was the debt they incur during their student years.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation survey which interviewed 250 students from some of the poorest regions of the country found only four out of ten students found graduate-status jobs one year after leaving university.

Besides piling debt, graduates from low income families were also likely to earn $3,400 less than their peers from wealthier families. Their financial woes were made worse because they received less help from their families.

The problem gets worse from the time they accept a low paying job because they would not be able to gain skills that would help them move up to jobs that they hope for. Their career growth is also slower. Taking a non-graduate occupation leaves them with less time to pursue a job of their choice and also fewer opportunities, which means their debts continue into their working life.

A co-author of the report urged the government to sanction fairer funding arrangements that could make life easier for disadvantaged graduates. Policy makers’ support for wider access to education needs to match with adequate funding arrangements.

The study also found that some students had fewer opportunities because of their accent or the area where they lived.