Find that job: Lesson 70. Women graduates in a job trap
According to the report from the Equal Opportunities Commission in the UK the proportion of female graduates in low-paid jobs, such as school secretaries, receptionists or sales assistants has more than doubled in the past decade. (It rose from 5% to 13%, compared with a rise from 4% to 7% for male graduates). At the same time the proportion of female graduates in high-level jobs, such as company directors, doctors and senior civil servants declined sharply from 65% to 45%.
An increasing number of graduates find it difficult to get the job they want after university. The expansion of university education has significantly devalued the worth of a degree in the job market. Critics have blamed the problem on government policy, which aims to encourage up to 50% of young people to go on to higher education. But the Equal Opportunities Commission blamed employers for not providing enough flexibility for women - when women have children they often want to work part-time, but they can't do it in high-powered jobs.
So is it worth swapping salary for Thomas Malory? Does a degree really mean anything anymore? With the rise in university fees what was once seen as a prestigious privilege is now becoming a risky business proposition. Drop-out rates are high and rising, especially among the so-called 'new universities' - some amount to 27%. The Labour concept of educational expansion has turned the ivory towers into degree factories. Ironic, when a factory was what the gifted young once went to university to escape
Meanwhile, people who graduate from the 'university of life' seem to be doing very well - many entrepreneurs at the top of Britain's rich list have not had a university education at all.
a Słownik
graduate - absolwent
trap - pułapka
the Equal Opportunties Commission - Komisja ds. Równouprawnienia
low-paid job - nisko płatna praca
sales assistant - sprzedawca, ekspedient
to double - podwajać (się)
high-level job - praca na wysokim stanowisku
civil servant - urzędnik państwowy
increasing number - rosnąca liczba
expansion - rozwój, rozszerzenie, ekspansja
to devalue - zdewaluować
worth - wartość
degree - stopień naukowy
job market - rynek pracy
to blame - winić, obwiniać
to encourage - zachęcać
to go on to higher education - kontynuować naukę na wyższych studiach
employer - pracodawca
to provide - zapewniać, dostarczać
flexibility - elastyczność
to work part-time - pracować w niepełnym wymiarze godzin
high-powered job - odpowiedzialna praca na wysokim stanowisku
to swap - zamieniać
salary - pensja
Thomas Malory - pisarz angielski XV wieku, autor romansu rycerskiego Śmierć Artura
rise - wzrost
university fees - opłaty/czesne za studia
prestigious - prestiżowy
risky - ryzykowny
drop-out rates - liczba osób rzucających studia
ivory tower - wieża z kości słoniowej (symbol akademickiego elitaryzmu)
degree factoy - fabryka stopni naukowych
the gifted young - młodzi zdolni ludzie
to escape - uciec
university of life - uniwersytet życia
to do well - dobrze sobie radzić
entrepreneur - przedsiębiorca
rich list - lista bogatych
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