Levelling the Playing Field? How Social Class and Internships Influence Perceived Employability amongst UK University Students

Debates about the value of higher education are more vivid than ever. In this context, policy-makers and employers increasingly demand that universities produce graduates who can make an immediate contribution in the workplace. However, such discussions often overlook significant inequalities in participation, particularly those rooted in socioeconomic disparities. In this research, we explored how students’ social class backgrounds and their participation in internships and work placements shape their perceptions of employability. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theoretical framework of capital, we demonstrate the crucial role of social capital in explaining class-based disparities in perceived employability and in mitigating these disparities through participation in internships and work placements. A survey of 152 university students in the United Kingdom revealed that students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds exhibited greater perceived employability due to their greater access to social capital. Additionally, participation in internships and work placements was positively associated with students’ perceptions of employability, primarily by increasing their social capital. Importantly, this relationship held true regardless of students’ social class backgrounds. These findings point to internships and work placements as valuable mechanisms for universities to enhance students’ perceived employability whilst promoting greater equity in outcomes. We discuss practical strategies for higher education institutions to implement these findings and emphasise the need for policy-makers to address broader structural inequalities to diversify access to internships and professional networks, particularly for underrepresented groups.