Graduates and Engagement of Jobcentre Plus Services in Difficult Times

This seminar will both explore graduates experiences of Jobcentre Plus provision, as well as attempt to provide empirical insights into graduate experiences of unemployment and underemployment.

This paper will present some of the findings of my PhD thesis, which is an examination of how welfare to work policies have supported recent graduates in the UK in their pursuit of work – more specifically how graduates have engaged with Jobcentre Plus from 2008 – 2013. The conceptual framework of this work focuses on the rise of the ‘knowledge economy’, and the effects of post-Fordist economic transformation of service provision. During the economic downturn in 2008-9 (and subsequent recovery), many graduates that have engaged with Jobcentre Plus have found particular difficulties. Indeed, as the transition to the labour market for graduates has been typified in recent years by instances of unemployment, underemployment, unpaid internships and insecure working patterns, it may be the case that public provision has not found a sufficient policy response to new forms of ‘social risk’ in relation to graduate transitions to the labour market. Therefore, this paper will both explore graduates experiences of Jobcentre Plus provision, as well as attempt to provide empirical insights into graduate experiences of unemployment and underemployment, as these are predominantly unexplored areas in the context of the UK. 

Speaker

Adam Formby

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