Abstract:

This paper explores the relationship between higher education (HE) and graduate employability in the context of the marketisation of HE, which has shifted the understanding of employability from a by-product of HE to a personal investment. Within this context, students are often constructed as consumers, and universities are increasingly held responsible for graduates’ employability. The study focuses on UK undergraduates’ aspirations and expectations regarding employability, as well as the strategies they adopt to enhance it.

Historically, HE policies in the UK have been grounded in Human Capital Theory, which posits that increased education generates financial and personal benefits for individuals. This perspective has been used to justify cost-sharing policies, whereby students bear part of the financial burden through tuition fees, framed as an investment in future earnings. However, critical research has highlighted the limitations of this theory, particularly in the context of a changing graduate labour market. As the number of graduates has increased, competition for high-status jobs has intensified, meaning that not all graduates can achieve their desired career outcomes. Moreover, students from more privileged socioeconomic backgrounds are often more aware of which university subjects are associated with greater employability and higher earnings.

The study adopts a Bourdieusian framework to explore undergraduates’ aspirations, expectations, and strategies regarding employability. This framework is complemented by a poststructuralist understanding of identity construction, identity regulation, and identity work, allowing for a more flexible interpretation of participants’ identities. Data were collected through 37 semi-structured interviews with students aged 18 to 23 attending various universities across England and Scotland. Participants came from diverse socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data.

The findings indicate that most participants believed that obtaining a degree would enhance their employment prospects. Many viewed HE as a stepping stone to their future careers, making decisions based on how their choice of course and university could improve their position in the job market. Acknowledging the competitiveness of the graduate labour market, students adopted various strategies to enhance their employability, such as striving for high academic performance and top degree classifications. Regardless of their backgrounds, students emphasised the importance of hard work in achieving these goals. However, participants from more privileged backgrounds also highlighted the role of family connections and networking.

The research also highlights the influence of neoliberal transformations in HE on students’ identity construction. These changes have introduced forms of identity regulation that shape undergraduates’ identity construction processes, restricting their possibilities for identity work if they wish to pursue strategies aimed at future employability—particularly those aligned with mechanisms typical of the labour market within the field of HE. Nevertheless, some students questioned the emphasis on competitive strategies, demonstrating a degree of resistance to the dominant discourses shaping their educational and career trajectories.

Keywords:

Higher education, graduate employability, marketisation.