Project | What works to reduce equality gaps in employment and employability?

About the project

Higher and further education providers are increasingly held to account for how their graduates fare in the job market. To explore how education providers can reduce equality gaps in employability, progression to further study and employment for graduates from disadvantaged groups, we commissioned the Centre for Education and Youth and the Education Policy Institute to carry out an evidence review.

Data analysis was used to understand the context: what are the labour market outcomes for graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds and how do they compare to those for non-disadvantaged groups? A literature review gathered evidence of which programmes/interventions are effective in improving labour market outcomes.

Stakeholder consultation was also carried out to explore which interventions are currently being used to address inequalities in employment and employability, and how they are being measured and evaluated.

This review identified that higher and further education courses that involve a work experience placement (sandwich courses) are a potential avenue for reducing equality gaps.

We therefore commissioned the University of Surrey and Nottingham Trent University to map out the barriers facing students from disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing and benefiting from sandwich courses, and potential interventions to overcome these barriers. 

If you would like to find out more or have any questions about this project, please get in touch with us at: research@taso.org.uk 

Related outputs

Background

There are disparities in labour market outcomes for different groups of young people, as the data analysis in this project demonstrates. These gaps are generally greatest for employed graduates who are female, from families of low socioeconomic status or certain ethnic groups.

Education providers can and do offer programmes and interventions to try to reduce these disparities. This project aimed to provide evidence of the equality gaps and for which interventions are being used, how they are being evaluated and which are most effective.