Are you state school proud? Then why not join the UK's least exclusive member's club!
The 93% Club recently hosted a guest CV and application workshop with social mobility charity upReach on Wednesday 16 November. As an upReach associate, I was invited to attend and share with the room my experience as an associate on their Tech500 programme.
The workshop, presented by upReach’s Ben Wilkinson and Jozy Scott, was open to all students on campus, a one-stop shop for helping students to create an effective and impactful CV and cover letter.
Starting with a game of “human bingo” and some surprising facts (did you know employers on average spend less than 9 seconds looking at a CV?!), the session helped students to articulate their skills and knowledge to match employer vacancies.
What is The 93% Club? Let’s ask 93% Club Newcastle President Megan Lambert: "The 93% Club is part of a national foundation that is committed to tackling elitism and aiding social mobility. We exist because 93% of the UK are state school educated and yet state schooled professionals only make up 35% of senior judges, 43% of the House of Lords and 34% of FTSE 350 CEOs."
Aligned with this statement, upReach asks in their pledge, “Do YOU think it is FAIR that a student from a disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2?”
I’m from Hebburn, a town on the Tyne along with Jarrow which has historically struggled in the wake of post-industrialisation. Neither of my parents went to university.
While applying to be an associate with upReach, I entered my family home postcode into the ONS tool for identifying places where young people are less likely to enter higher education. I discovered that the area where I grew up and went to school was designated POLAR4 Quintile 2, the second lowest quintile.
Without Newcastle University and support from organisations like The 93% Club and upReach, I wouldn't have had access to half of the opportunities I've had this year alone.
While individual stories of social mobility may allow for inspirational reading, they don't always paint a true picture.
Data published by @TheIFS and @SuttonTrust in their 2021 Universities and Social Mobility: Summary Report gives us a clearer picture of social mobility and how it is influenced by higher education pathways.
The data shows that young people from less well-off backgrounds are less likely to attend HE, or attend post-1992 universities, with mixed outcomes in terms of income. More affluent young people are much more likely to attend Russell Group institutions, with the best earnings outcomes.
If you're worried about your graduate prospects, be assured there are networks out there for students "without a network".
To join the 93% Club, visit their Instagram @93clubnewcastle.
For upReach, visit @upreach_team on Instagram.