# Elite firms 'exclude bright working class' **URL:** \ **Category:** Reasonably serious discussion\ **Created:** [15 June 2015 12:42 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282 "2015-06-15T12:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Coxford\_lou](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/coxford_lou/32/11_2.png) [@Coxford\_lou](https://www.sotonians.com/u/Coxford_lou)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 12:42 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/1 "2015-06-15T12:42:25Z")
> **[Elite firms 'exclude working class'](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33109052)** > > A report says working-class applicants are being side-lined by elite firms in favour of privileged, "polished" candidates. ## What a shocker… ---
**Author:** ![CB-Saint](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/cb-saint/32/95251_2.png) [@CB-Saint](https://www.sotonians.com/u/CB-Saint)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 12:56 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/2 "2015-06-15T12:56:42Z")
I think it is more fundamental than firms being elitist. They take 70% of their grad intake from the Russell 24 unis, who are of course proportionally overrepresented with private school kids. Get more working class kids into these unis and the numbers will change. ---
**Author:** ![WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/worzelscummage/32/73175_2.png) [@WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/u/WorzelScummage)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 12:57 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/3 "2015-06-15T12:57:08Z")
No surprise there. Life innit. ---
**Author:** ![Coxford\_lou](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/coxford_lou/32/11_2.png) [@Coxford\_lou](https://www.sotonians.com/u/Coxford_lou)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 13:00 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/4 "2015-06-15T13:00:29Z")
> Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint Life innit. WRONG! ---
**Author:** ![KRG](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/krg/32/1061_2.png) [@KRG](https://www.sotonians.com/u/KRG)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 13:01 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/5 "2015-06-15T13:01:25Z")
> Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint No surprise there. Life innit. Working class kids should just work harder, right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bearsy](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/bearsy/32/6_2.png) [@Bearsy](https://www.sotonians.com/u/Bearsy)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 13:22 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/6 "2015-06-15T13:22:31Z")
These elite firms must know what they’re doing, ain’t it. If the Oiks who the non-elite firms employ were better than Posh kids, then the non-elite firms, would be elite firms. Stands to reason. ---
**Author:** ![WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/worzelscummage/32/73175_2.png) [@WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/u/WorzelScummage)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 13:37 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/7 "2015-06-15T13:37:54Z")
Ha, nah, just life. We are all born with advantages and disadvantages, some more than others. Us working class will always have to work harder to do well - makes it all the sweeter when it comes off. ---
**Author:** ![KRG](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/krg/32/1061_2.png) [@KRG](https://www.sotonians.com/u/KRG)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 13:46 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/8 "2015-06-15T13:46:45Z")
Hmmm. There is, sadly, more than an element of truth in what you say CS. I dunno, maybe it’s becaue I’m a young, naive, guardian reading (I actually don’t read the guardian) nutter, but that just makes me angry. That, what you are born into affects your life on such a scale. It clearly is the case. I genuinely had no idea that people really went to private schools until I went to uni ('cept for the Harrow boy’s whose hats we would steal). Then suddenly I was in a massive minority. Same at work, here and my last job. Most people are from private schools. Just seems massively unfair that fluke of birth has such a huge impact on your life. It’s why equality of opportunity is an utter nonsense. The playing field is clearly massively lopsided from the get go. ---
**Author:** ![WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/worzelscummage/32/73175_2.png) [@WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/u/WorzelScummage)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 13:57 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/9 "2015-06-15T13:57:26Z")
I think it’s something that obviously isn’t fair, but at the same time I have no ill feeling towards them. Life is inherently unfair, there will always be someone worse off and someone better off. It’s why I can’t spend my time getting angry at it, as it’s such a futile act. ---
**Author:** ![PhilippineSaint](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/philippinesaint/32/3978_2.png) [@PhilippineSaint](https://www.sotonians.com/u/PhilippineSaint)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 14:57 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/10 "2015-06-15T14:57:19Z")
Life is not fair but most people have a crack of the whip at it. I am now old enough to know that life will shit on you if you let it. Boss’s will shit on you if you let them. subordinates will shit on you and stab you in the back. but like a duck in water let it all roll off and shit on as many of them as possible because it will make you feel better. ---
**Author:** ![BTripz](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/btripz/32/75839_2.png) [@BTripz](https://www.sotonians.com/u/BTripz)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 15:04 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/11 "2015-06-15T15:04:39Z")
I fail to get upset by this, if they don’t employ me becuase of my upbringing then it is their loss not mine. ---
**Author:** ![pap](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/pap/32/74795_2.png) [@pap](https://www.sotonians.com/u/pap)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 15:25 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/12 "2015-06-15T15:25:27Z")
_“You know where it ends, yo, it usually depends on where you start”_ - What It’s like, Everlast. Never thought I’d be opening a post with a lyric from a former House of Pain man, but that’s what it’s like. It’s not just the money either. Often, it’s a case of expectation. I was the first of our family to go to University, and honestly, it only ever entered my head as an option until age seventeen. We just weren’t adequately told or guided. A mate of mine, seven years older than me, was completely written off by his teachers at Hounsdown School, whacked onto the CSE track and essentially told he’d amount to the sum total of fuck all. He’s rocking a 2:1 and a successful career in the financial computing sector these days. I’m lucky enough to have two bright kids; they’ve both been invited to Oxford and Cambridge days during their respective times at school. Juvenile Unit #1’s best mate was both brave and bright enough to go for it and made it. Oxbridge won’t let you have a part-time job during term-time, and she’s only able to manage the finances because her parents help out a bit and she works her arse off at Maccy Ds whenever she’s back in the 'Pool. I doubt she’d have a chance if her folks were on the rock and roll. All these things contribute to less state school kids getting into top Universities, either because they don’t consider it in the first place, or aim lower because they don’t fancy spending three years on the bones of their arses while their Eton-educated college colleagues have zero worries, and know half of the college through old connections anyway. I don’t think there is anything wrong with employers targeting alumni of well-regarded educational institutions. The issue is that those institutions don’t have enough working class kids attending or graduating, and successive governments seem to be doing everything they can to raise the barrier of entry. Uni was scary enough when you got a full grant and just had to trust yourself not to drink yourself to the bottom of your overdraft. It must be terrifying now. I am not surprised working class kids are avoiding some of the top institutions. Actual couple of sentences from my daughter’s Wiltshire uni pal. _“Oh, you went to a comp? What was that like?”_ That is what it’s like. ---
**Author:** ![WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/worzelscummage/32/73175_2.png) [@WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/u/WorzelScummage)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 15:47 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/13 "2015-06-15T15:47:32Z")
I think it also depends on your definition of ‘working class’. ---
**Author:** ![pap](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/pap/32/74795_2.png) [@pap](https://www.sotonians.com/u/pap)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 15:49 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/14 "2015-06-15T15:49:01Z")
> Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint I think it also depends on your definition of ‘working class’. Mine’s simple. If you need to work to live, you’re working class. ---
**Author:** ![CB-Saint](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/cb-saint/32/95251_2.png) [@CB-Saint](https://www.sotonians.com/u/CB-Saint)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 16:24 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/15 "2015-06-15T16:24:31Z")
Isn’t that the vast majority of us - I have to work to live - but I wouldn’t classify myself as working class. I think if you are paying higher rate tax, it would difficult to describe yourself as working class from an economic standpoint, although you may still regard yourself as working class from a values perspective ---
**Author:** ![WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/worzelscummage/32/73175_2.png) [@WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/u/WorzelScummage)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 16:30 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/16 "2015-06-15T16:30:14Z")
So surely those that are getting these jobs are working class that went to private school… ---
**Author:** ![pap](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/pap/32/74795_2.png) [@pap](https://www.sotonians.com/u/pap)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 16:40 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/17 "2015-06-15T16:40:33Z")
> Originally posted by @CB-Saint > Isn’t that the vast majority of us - I have to work to live - but I wouldn’t classify myself as working class. I think if you are paying higher rate tax, it would difficult to describe yourself as working class from an economic standpoint, although you may still regard yourself as working class from a values perspective Yup, the vast majority of us are working class, regardless of how we choose to classify ourselves. I know that is not a conventional view, but I reckon it’s a simpler and less self-deluding way to look at things. Doesn’t really matter what you’re earning right now, or what newspapers find their way to your coffee table. If you need that job, or one like it, to live, you’re working class. I think this is something some of the more rabid right wingers fail to realise. They mock the unemployed, seemingly unaware that many of them ae only a P45 away from joining destitution club themselves. ---
**Author:** ![WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/worzelscummage/32/73175_2.png) [@WorzelScummage](https://www.sotonians.com/u/WorzelScummage)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 16:44 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/18 "2015-06-15T16:44:53Z")
I would say ‘dismiss’ more than ‘mock’. ---
**Author:** ![pap](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/pap/32/74795_2.png) [@pap](https://www.sotonians.com/u/pap)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 16:49 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/19 "2015-06-15T16:49:58Z")
> Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint > I would say ‘dismiss’ more than ‘mock’. Check you out and your big words. Dismiss?! Did you read that in the Guardian, ya lefty ponce? 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Bearsy](https://www.sotonians.com/user_avatar/www.sotonians.com/bearsy/32/6_2.png) [@Bearsy](https://www.sotonians.com/u/Bearsy)\ **Post date:** [15 June 2015 16:55 UTC](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282/20 "2015-06-15T16:55:13Z")
i don’t need to work to live ![](https://discourse-sotonians-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/a/7/a784ec43dcf5df0b880e55f4f33f6ce18b18561d.gif) if i was struggling i would just get benefits or go to prison [Next page](https://www.sotonians.com/t/elite-firms-exclude-bright-working-class/2282.md?page=2)