Why's the unemployment rate for BME graduates far higher than that of white graduate?

togouni2017

About to go to uni, but i'm concerned that even if I do well in my degree, my employment prospects may be quite bleak due to my ethnicity.

https://www.ft.com/content/3548ef66-025b-11e6-99cb-83242733f755

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ethnic-minority-graduates-twice-likely-be-unemployed

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

BefuddledPenguin

15

Well the unemployment rate for BME graduates is less than 6%, that means you have 94% chance of being employed which is hardly poor. Don't forget that grades will also play a factor, if you get a first rather than a third your chances will be higher. Your first link is trapped behind a paywall so I only have the second to go on.

Reply 2

username2981082

19

It is less a matter of race and more one of classism. A poor white person probably has the same job prospects as a poor ethnic minority person. The working class tend to live in cheap areas that have severely under funded schools, which affects the education of a person from a young age. Meanwhile, the wealthy can afford to go to private schools and pay loads of money to fund extra-curricular activities that a lot of the top universities are looking for.

Reply 3

Trinculo

21

Who says it's racism?

There's empirical study to show that Black students attain on average lower degree classifications than other groups. Black Africans and Carribeans average at a 3% 1st class, 27-30% 2i, 46-48% 2ii and 16-21% 3rd or lower, compared to whites - 11% 1sts, 49% 2i, 31%2ii, 9% 3rd or lower.

This would be before you factor in the employablility of degrees across ethic groups.

If anything, without doing any regression analysis, I would say it looks like all else being equal, a black candidate is more likely to be employed than a white one - the differential across employment seems lower than the differential across results.

Reply 4

Jadegirly2k

Your chances of being employed will kkalso depend on the degree you choose and your career aspirations. You will have to work twice as hard to be half as good. A friend told me once that he and his friend would go out partying till 3am all the time and he came out with a first and host friend a 2:2! When his friend said how did you manage that he said when we'd get home at 3am you'd go to sleep and I'd study!

Reply 5

MonsoonFlower

22

Original post by togouni2017

About to go to uni, but i'm concerned that even if I do well in my degree, my employment prospects may be quite bleak due to my ethnicity.

https://www.ft.com/content/3548ef66-025b-11e6-99cb-83242733f755

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ethnic-minority-graduates-twice-likely-be-unemployed

I personally don't find it that difficult to get a job (I'm a British Born Chinese).
This is because I would say that for most employers; they look for personality and skills. But then simultaneously I'm not also saying that education is not as equally important - but then again a degree doesn't always override everything when filling out job applications.
Plus I don't understand the politics of racism which is Brexit. In my opinion the word immigrant sounds like you're a criminal in this country because you intend to stay here rather than having no intention of returning to your own country. (P.S. I am aware i may start arguments for saying that)!

Reply 6

psztyblewsky

1

Original post by username2981082

It is less a matter of race and more one of classism. A poor white person probably has the same job prospects as a poor ethnic minority person. The working class tend to live in cheap areas that have severely under funded schools, which affects the education of a person from a young age. Meanwhile, the wealthy can afford to go to private schools and pay loads of money to fund extra-curricular activities that a lot of the top universities are looking for.

Not necessarily; I'm a minority and I grew up in a solidly middle-class "mixed" area in the 70's and 80's, and went to college-prep elite "public" high school and then straight to university all with top "marks," but by now it's assumed I'm from some horrible slum area with bad schools, to go by the way people treat me when they can see me in-person. I actually get asked, "how'd you get into Yale, I thought you had to be smart to get into Yale." That's rubbish, and it's usually said to my face. Well, WORLD, you get into top universities by having top MARKS in the top-ranked high schools, not by the colour of your skin!! (At least, not back in the 80's you didn't.)

Why's the unemployment rate for BME graduates far higher than that of white graduate?

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