Year in Industry: Who Gets Access and What Difference Does It Make? Access and Awarding Gaps in UK University Undergraduate Placement Programmes
| Title: | Year in Industry: Who Gets Access and What Difference Does It Make? Access and Awarding Gaps in UK University Undergraduate Placement Programmes |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kerry Traynor, Kate Evans, Chris Barlow, Amy Gerrard, Stefan Melgaard, Steph Kehoe, Selina Churchill |
| Source: | Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. 2024 (30). |
| Availability: | Association for Learning Development in Higher Education. 33 Lower Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 9NB, UK. e-mail: admin@aldinhe.ac.uk; Web site: https://jldhe.aldinhe.ac.uk/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 34 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Work Experience Programs, Cooperative Education, Employment Potential, Minority Group Students, Social Bias, Disability Discrimination, Disadvantaged Environment, Student Placement |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| ISSN: | 1759-667X |
| Abstract: | This article explores the extent to which students of different ethnicities, (dis)abilities, sexes, POLAR groups, and academic abilities undertake Year in Industry (YINI) placements and realise post-placement academic improvements, in comparison with non-YINI students. The benefits of work placements on student employability and graduate prospects are well-documented but less is known about which student groups gain access to placements. The study analyses secondary data relating to the sex, ethnicity, disability, POLAR group, grades, and degree classifications of 31,159 undergraduates graduating from a UK Russell Group university between 2016 and 2023, representing the largest study of its kind to date. The study found that students completing YINI programmes are significantly more likely to achieve first class (70.1% YINI, 28.5% non-YINI) and good degrees (97.7% YINI, 83.6% non-YINI). Importantly, the study found that YINI completion narrows awarding gaps found in the non-YINI population in relation to sex, disability, ethnicity, and POLAR group. The potential gains are greatest for male students, students with disabilities, Asian, Black and mixed ethnicity students, and students from low POLAR groups. However, access to placements is not proportionately distributed. Female students, students with disabilities, students from all ethnic minority groups and those of unknown ethnicity, and students from low POLAR groups are under-represented within the YINI population, suggesting placement access gaps in relation to sex, disability, ethnicity, and POLAR group. The paper concludes with strategies to encourage YINI participation amongst diverse student groups and calls for further research into lived experiences of YINI and non-YINI students. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1431529 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| ISSN: | 1759-667X |
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| Published in: | Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education |
| Language: | English |