New research on outcomes for alumni of the Aspiring Professionals Programme
New research on outcomes for alumni of the Aspiring Professionals Programme
05/10/23
Research undertaken by the Bridge Group and commissioned by the Social Mobility Foundation explores the early career and progression experiences of recent graduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds and how this compares with their more privileged peers.
The research focuses particularly on alumni of the Aspiring Professionals Programme (APP) which is run by the Social Mobility Foundation in partnership with employers, but also looks at recent graduates with no involvement in the programme. Alumni responding to the survey are employed by a wide range of organisations across the UK, while those participating in interviews are employed by a range of employers.
In relation to employment and earnings, the research found that APP alumni perform significantly better than their peers nationally:
86% of APP graduates were in full-time employment 15 months after graduation, compared to 57% of the wider graduate population.
The median graduate salary five years after graduation was £27,000, whereas 51% of the APP cohort were earning over £30,000 just 15 months after graduation.
The APP cohort were more likely to be in full-time employment and earn a higher salary than graduates who did not receive free school meals and were from higher progression areas (POLAR4).
The research also highlighted a wide range of experiences of the workplace, including the enjoyment of work, the challenges of navigating the professions, the culture of the workplace, and issues with modulating accent and personality:
Most respondents felt that there were barriers to their progression in the job, including confidence (mentioned by 98%) and fitting into the culture of the workplace (93%).
There was a disparity between respondents' self-reported sense of success and their actual achievements in relation to employment and salary: earning an average graduate salary was not enough to provide APP alumni with an average level of satisfaction.
Sarah Atkinson, Chief Executive of the Social Mobility Foundation said:
“Since 2010, we have worked with top employers through our Aspiring Professionals Programme to support almost 20,000 young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in accessing professional careers.
“The research finds that APP alumni perform significantly better than their peers nationally, demonstrating the impact of our programme in enabling young people to succeed in their career goals.
“However, the research also highlights the additional barriers early career professionals from lower socio-economic backgrounds face in navigating their chosen career pathway and fitting into workplace cultures. We are determined to do more to tackle these barriers and ensure that the young people we support don’t just get in, but get on and feel confident they belong in their careers.”
Dr Penelope Griffin, Director of Higher Education and Impact at the Bridge Group said:
“We found that high salaries do not compensate for the daily challenges graduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds experience in the workplace. Support for social mobility should not just focus on accessing high quality employment, but on professional progression as well.
“There are lots of things that employers can do to create an inclusive working environment and ensure people from lower socio-economic backgrounds progress in their early careers. Our report mentions mentoring schemes, targeted support for new employees, the need for a more inclusive organisational culture, and clear processes that identify and reward good performance, amongst others.
“Despite our evidence showing that APP students get a successful start in their careers, outreach alone will not achieve social equality.”