Precarious Pathways? The Inial Labour Market Experiences ... · • “I’ve updated my CV, so I’ve got experience on there now, because of my waitressing and agency [work], so

Precarious Pathways? The Ini3al Labour Market Experiences of Young People in the

Midlands of England Who Do Not (intend to) Enter Higher Educa3on

PhilMizen(AstonUniversity),GabyA8ieldandArleneRobertson(IER,Warwick)

‘Precarious’ Pathways to Work (in the Midlands)?

•  RelaAvelyhighlevelsofyouthunemploymentandunder-employment(especiallyforsomegroup);

•  Increasinginsecurityofemployment,withgrowingdifferenAaAonbetween‘careerjobs’andtemporary,part-Ame,zero/corehours,contractemployment;

•  IntensificaAonoffocusonvocaAonalskillsandqualificaAons-butfewapprenAceshipopportuniAestoU25s;

•  ExpansioninhighereducaAonparAcipaAon(butshiSofcoststolearnersandincreaseindebt);

•  Drivetowardsworkexperienceand‘employabilityskills’priortolabourmarketentry

•  KeyprojectquesAon:howdoyoungpeople(U25s)experienceandengagewithfactorsliketheseaslooktoleaveeducaAonforpaidemployment?

Youngpeople’spathwaysintoemploymentintheMidlandsduringpreviousrecessionsintheMidlandsinthe1930sand1980s?

Project1

Precariouspathwaysforschoolandcollege

leavers

Project2

Precariouspathwaysforgraduates

Project3

Project4

Employers’perspecAvesonandrecruitmentofprecariousetc.younglabour

Coordina2onoffindingsfromalltheprojects:Theroleof‘precarious’employment,workexperience,

unpaidworkandinternshipsinthetransiAonfromeducaAontoemploymentintheMidlands(incl.lessons

fromthepast)

Year1

Year2

Year3

Precarious pathways from educa3on to employment for young people?

TransiAonsfromeducaAontoemploymentinpreviousrecessions.

LessonsaboutpolicyandpracAcefromthe1930sand1980s?

Project 2 - Key Research Ques3ons

• Project2examines‘precarious’transiAonsfromperspecAveofyoungpeople(16to24yearolds)notseekinghighereducaAon

•  Itasks:• WhataretheperceivedemploymentopportuniAesfor(non-HE)educaAonleaversintheMidlands?

• Whattypesofworkexperience,unpaid,temporaryorpart-AmeworkhavebeenundertakenorareanAcipated?

•  Howandwhydoyoungpeopleaccessnon-standardformsofwork(i.e.arethese‘career/workchoices’orperceivednecessiAes)?

• Whatdoyoungpeoplemakeofthesetypesofworkandwhataretheirperceived(dis)advantages?

Focus Group and Interview Research

AsampleofyoungpeoplefromthreeMidlandsciAesfacingtheprospect,orhavingexperience,of’precarious’work.Thefieldwork:

FocusGroups–togatherdiagnos2candlocal/citydata•  10focusgroupswithyoungpeopleinBirmingham(3),Coventry(4)andLeicester(3)

•  84focusgroupparAcipantsintotalSemi-structuredInterviews–toallowin-depthfollow-up/inves2ga2onandconsiderprocess(i.e.howyoungpeople‘maketheirway’)•  80semi-structuredinterviews:59‘first’interviewsand21‘follow-up’interviews

FocusGroupParAcipants(84)

Interviewees‘Round1’

(59)

Interviewees‘Follow-up’

(21)

Key Emerging Theme – Temporary Work Agencies •  Akeythemeistheimportanceoftemporaryworkagenciesas(potenAal)sourcesofemployment

•  Unsurprising,perhaps.LiteratureonTWAssuggestshugegrowthasmeasuredbyworkerscontracted/placed;revenues;andnaAonalandinternaAonalreach–althoughmanyregional/localagenciesaswell

•  ArgumentsaboutTWAs,stresstheirsignificanceas:•  EnablersthroughacAviaAon,flexibleworking,readyemployment,experience,employability–govt.,employers/industry,agencies;Gray(2002)

•  SymptomofdysfuncAonallabourmarket–ILO(2010)•  AnacAvedynamicingreaterlabourinsecurity–Forde(2001),FordeandSlater(2016),Gray(2002),Purcelletal.(2004)

• WhatdoyoungworkersmakeofTWAsandhowdotheyusethem?

What P2W par3cipants feel TWAs have going for them • ‘Normality’–TWASareextensivelyandreadilyusedwhenlookingforpaidwork

•  “IcouldsayI’veused,likeallofthem.I’vegotanaccountwiththemall’(Ella,18,Leicester)

•  Providingtopaidemployment•  Full-Ame,part-Ame,temporary,fixedterm,zero/corehours•  Incatering,hotel,restaurants,fas8ood,bars,clubsandbars,cleaning(commercialanddomesAc),shopwork,warehouseanddistribuAon,labouring/construcAon,industrial/factory,selling,door-to-door,security,NHS(cleaning,catering),socialcare(childrenandtheelderly)

• WaytoaccessforthosewithfewqualificaAonsandlilleexperience(andwhocandrawonfamilysupport)

•  “Ifyouneedmoneyquickly,andlikesaythey’vegotashi;thereforyou,that’sfi;yquidthereforyou,butifit’snotworthyourwhilethere’snotmuchpointindoingitreally.Saysomeonewholivesathomewiththeirparents,it’sgoodforthembecausethenthey’remakingmoneyandtheypaytheirparentsabitofrent,buttheywon’tbehavingtogooutandpay£150rentorsomethinglikethat,especiallyifthey’veonlymade£50”(Kyle,20,Coventry)

• A‘stepping-stone’:•  Providing(paid)workexperience:•  “I’veupdatedmyCV,soI’vegotexperienceontherenow,becauseofmywaitressingandagency[work],sohopefullyI’llfindsomethingbecauseIhaveexperience.”(Bless,18,Birmingham)

•  Accesstointernallabourmarkets(NHS,localauthoriAes,largeprivatesectororganisaAons)or‘temp-to-perm’possibiliAes:

•  “Theyaskedmetosendmydetailstothem,scanmypassport,everythingIsendtothem,thentheystartedgivingmework,butwhenIstarteddoingcareworkthemanagerwantedmetobecomepermanent,butthatwasn’tthethingforme,Ididn’twanttodocarework”.(Evelyn,19,Coventry)

• Offeringflexibilityandcontrol:•  Fionghoursaroundstudyandothercommitments:•  “IhaveWednesdaysalwaysfree,Ihavethewholeweekend,FridayI’mfreesoit’sbasically,FridayIfinish[classes]at10inthemorning,soifIgetajobfromFridayinthea;ernoonthenplustheweekendsorWednesday”(Maarif,18,Birmingham)

• Givingchoiceandabilitytodeclineundesirablejobs(e.g.Evelynabove)

• Providingtemporaryjobsratherthangeong‘stuck’injobsfeltlowlevelorinadequatetoneeds/aspiraAons

•  “ThereisadifferencebetweenbeingashopworkerandarecepAonist”(Evelyn,19,Coventry)

•  Easyandfastsourcesofwork:

•  Gapbetweensigning-upandstarAngworkcanbeshort:•  “Iwentintofillinsomepaperworkandgavethemmynumberandoccasionally,everyweek,theywouldcallme,notoccasionally,everyweekIthink,theywouldcallmeonaFriday,andaskmeifI’dwanttoworkontheSaturdayorSundayatweekend,soyeah,I’dsayyeah.I’dtellthemyeah,Iwanttowork”.(Aqeel,18,Leicester)

•  Immediateandeasyaccessthroughonlinepresence:•  “I’vejustgotaniPad,soIgetmyiPad,typeinGoogle‘JobsinCoventry’.LotsofpagescomeuplikeGumtree,you’vegotIndeed,you’vegotReedcomesupandloadsofjobsites.MyfavouriteoneisIndeedcauseit’ssoeasytouse”.(Sophie,18,Coventry)

•  OnlineagenciescanallowapplicaAonformulAplejobswithasingleregistraAon/CV

These posi3ve coexist with significant reserva3ons, cynicism and cri3cism/hos3lity • UnabletosaAsfyaspiraAonsforwork,becauseofage:

•  “Agenciesdonothelpyouifyouareunder18…theysay,‘well,we’vegotnoworkthatyou’reabletosortofdo’”(Rose,23,Leicester)

•  Insufficientexperience:•  “[I]gotanemailbackonce[tellingher]thatyou’renotexperiencedenoughsoyoucan’t[beplacedinwork].”(Melissa,17,Leicester)

•  Limitstoflexibilityandcontrol:•  So,Iwasapplyingonlinetooandthenmymumgotmetojoinheragency,butobviouslytheyweren’tgoingtogivemeanythingbecauseIwasn’tasavailableastheirotherpeoplebecauseobviouslyIwasatcollege.”(Aafa,18,Birmingham)

•  Limitedresponse/replies:•  “Idon’tevengetthem!”[i.e.emailswithjobsuggestedjobopportuniAes](Chloe,17,Leicester)

• WastedAmeandeffort:

•  “…you’regeXngalltheseotherones[i.e.suggestedopportuniYes]floodinginandyoudon’twannawasteyourYmeonthem,becausethey’reeither,ah,canyoudodeliverydriving?…andit’slike,Ihaven’tgota[driving]licenceoranythingforthat…well,thatwasafuckingwasteofYme’.(Damon,19,Coventry)

•  Offeringjobsoutsideofperceivedskills,experience:•  Melisa …yougetemailslikethisjob’savailablenearyou,blah,

blah...ThisjobsuitsyourdescripYon,andyouare probablydoingsomethingforhealthandsocialcare,andit turnsouttobephotocopyingorsomething [Laughter]

Ella TheysendmechefonesandIwaslike,Ican’tevencook scrambledeggs[Laughter].(both17,Leicester)

•  Offeringjobsthatareinaccessible:

•  Chloe Igetloadsofemailbutnoneofthemplan[sic]out.Ella Yeah,wellIgetloadsofemailsaswellaboutthem,it’slike

IgetthemalltheYme,like,ohyeah,this,erm,jobmatches yourareas.Coventry!Yeah,yeah,[of]courseIlivein Coventry.Andyetyouknow,Iliveinthemiddleof Leicester!(both17,Leicester)

• DecepAonbyarAficiallyinflaAngthenumberofvacancies:•  “Mostofthemhavethesamejobsonthere,that’swhatI’venoYced.Likethesamejobwillcomefiveorsix[Ymes].Igetlikefiveemailsaboutthesamejob”.(Melissa,17,Leicester)

•  ‘”employers]adverYsetheirjobsonsomanydifferent[TWAweb]sites…halfoftheYmeyou’reapplyingforthesamejob,10Ymesover.So,youmightthinklike,ah,yeah,I’veappliedfor10jobs[but]you’veprobablyappliedforone,maybetwojobs,becausethey’rethesame…soyouhavetobecarefulinwhatyourapplyingfor,youthinkyouareapplyingforsomanyandyou’regeXngyourhopesup…andtowardstheenditjustkindagetstoyouandit’slike,wellnothing’soutthere,noone’sgeXngbacktome,I’mnothearinganything,sowhatistheactualpoint?It’ssodifficult”.(Danielle,21,Coventry)

•  Jobsthatfailtomaterialise:•  “So,wegosignupwiththem,takeallourIDinandthey’relike,‘well,ifanythingcomesupwe’llletyouknow’,andIkindofthink,well,you’vecalledmebecauseI’mapplyingforajob,nowthatjob’ssuddenlydisappeared”.(Danielle,21,Coventry)

• Orbreakingperceivedpromises:

•  “…whenhegotthere[i.e.herpartner]todothework,itwasnothinglikethey’dexplained[atemp-to-permopportunity].So,hewasdoingajobthathereallywasn’tqualifiedtodo.Theagencybloke…[toldherpartner]Ican’thelpyou,you’regonnahavetoapplyforthatjobagain”.(Katherine,18,Coventry)

•  Justwanttomakemoneyfromyou:•  “Doyouknowanagencyisjustabusiness?Theydon’t,it’snot,it’snothingtodowithus,theyjust,theyget,forthemit’sjusttomakemoney,nothingtodowithsorYngpeopleoutorhelpingthem,theyjustgetmassivecontractsandtheysendyouout.”(Iqbal,21,Leicester)

•  “So,that’swhyIthinktheypromiseallthisstuffandit’sactuallynothingthey’veexplainedtoyou,‘causeonceyou’vebeenpromisedallthis,you’rethinking,yes!,thisisgonnabeagreatjob.Yougoforitandobviouslythey’vealreadyhadthecommission,soyou’restuckinajobyoudon'treallywant.”(Katherine,18,Coventry)

•  TreaAngyouasacommodity:•  “Andtheagency…theyusedto,andthenthey[alargelogisYcsbusiness]usedtopaytheagency,whatdidtheypaythemlike?Thewagetheretoworkanhourforthe,thepersonwho’semployedme,[nameoflogisYcscompany],Ithinkitwas£10.69forahour,andthenbecausewewereagencyworkers,weusedto[get]£6.31.£6.31!…Andthentheagencywouldeatthatcoupleofpound,youknowwhatI’mtryingtosaytoyou?Andifthere’s25peopleturninguptowork,15getwork,andwe’rebangingout8,9hours…Theseagenciesarebasicallysetuppurelyforbusiness.’(Duhat,19,Birmingham)

Some Preliminary Thoughts •  ExtensiveandrouAneuseofTWAsbyyoungpeoplelookingforwork•  Quickandeasysourcesofpaidwork•  AsameansofselecAngbetweendifferenttypesofworkopportuniAes•  Forinstrumentalpurposes–experience,accesstoemployersorinternallabourmarkets•  Toaccommodateothercommitments–study,leisure,family•  TosiSoutunwanted/undesirableemployment

•  ReproduceexisAngbarriers–e.g.age,lackofworkexperience,skills/qualificaAons•  Limitstoflexibility/accommodaAngothercommitments•  OpportuniAesarelimited–numericallyandrangeofjobs/occupaAons•  AndthoseofferedareoSenhighlyunsuitable•  DecepAveandunderhandpracAces•  Notconcernedwithneedsofyoungworkers

[email protected]/paths2work@Paths2Work

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