Somali graduates are working in non-graduate jobs

[SOO MAAL]

Somali graduates are working in non-graduate jobs

 

Mohamed Mukhtar

 

 

September 21, 2005

 

 

 

 

It was a longish wait at the bus stop and there was no sign of any bus coming along. I was in the middle of a long queue waiting to board a bus; as luck would have it, I was in no hurry to get home. Suddenly three buses appeared in procession as if though they just came out from a monotonous meeting. I hopped on the second bus and saw a familiar face behind the wheel, Mr Ali, an old friend of mine.

 

I was saddened to see him driving a double-decker bus because I remember his only ambition in life was to be an academic success. The last time I saw him was three years ago and he was in the penultimate year studying economics and politics. He was a highly gifted student and his friends felt rather like students in the presence of a professor when they were with him.

 

We quickly exchanged hellos and I asked him how he had ended up behind the wheel. He scratched nervously at an irritating spot on one side of his face below the eye and said, “I am about to finish my shift now. There is a nice cafe, so please do come and touch base with me.â€

We walked to a café. Ali ordered a hamburger and chips, with which he covered in ketchup and nibbled it like a man eating his first meal after fasting two consecutive days. And I ordered a tea. “You asked me a question which is very close to my heart. Where would you like me to start?†Ali asked me after he had finished his meal. The following is the gist of our conversation which highlights the poignant realities that Somali graduates from the UK universities are experiencing.

 

The challenges that these graduates face did not start at the graduate labour market but started long before they have even finished their high schools. Most of these degree holders are victims of a civil war and refugees in this country. English is not their first language and most of them are from low income families. Their parents do not understand the UK education system.

 

Some of them are from broken families and have lived in poor housing conditions. A large number of them might have lived in other European countries before coming to the UK and coming to finish their education in the UK presents great deal of challenges. Some of these graduates have experienced bullying and racial harassment. After a three-year-course, they are expected to pay back the loans - an average of £10,000 - they have taken out to pay for their fees and living expenses

 

Despite them facing serious social, economic and linguistic barriers, these graduates completed their education with sheer determination by doing few classes here and few classes there as they moved around a lot. Some of them could be described as transient pupils. Their purpose of university was not to be frozen out from the employment market, but they have found out that being from a marginalised ethnic community a degree would not give you a head start.

 

It is almost every student's dream to go to a higher education to get higher social status and income; however that dream is not true for Somali graduates. According to the Government's Department of Education and Skills, today's graduates can expect to earn a modest £120,000 more across their entire lifetime, than those with two A-levels who go straight into employment. This report has not clearly taken into account Somali graduates as most of them are not doing graduate jobs. In fact, a significant number of Somali graduates, those who are lucky enough to have jobs, are working in non-graduate jobs earning as little as non-graduate workers earn, while others are still dreaming highly-paid jobs although they are unemployed. Sadly, a report published by Prospects, the UK 's official graduate careers, said, “ Graduates unemployed six months after graduation spent longer periods unemployed and had lower future earnings.†Does this mean that their degrees have been of no advantage whatsoever?

 

Since most of these graduates are either unemployed or hold jobs that do not require a university degree, they are seriously exploring the potential of self-employment as an option. The Institute for Employment Studies says, “The graduate labour market is changing, and with no promises of linear corporate careers, self-employment offers wider opportunities.†They have the will to succeed, but there is little evidence to support that they have the necessary skills to develop successful trading businesses or micro-enterprises as most of them do not have any experience of self-employment.

 

The disadvantage that graduates are facing could have negative influence on those who are yet to reach the age of higher education. Parents normally encourage their children to go to university as a way in which labour market disadvantage can be overcome. But when the older children, who have finished universities, are unemployed or feel slightly underemployed in their current job young children may feel that they should leave school at 16 and get an apprenticeship as a mechanic. This may lead the whole community to face perpetual forms of exclusion and marginalisation.

 

Universities attempt to trace where graduates end up. However there is no mechanism to gather data where Somali graduates go after university and the main reason is that Somalis are not classified as a separate ethnic group like Indians or Bangladeshis. Since there is no systematic monitoring evidence that can expose the disadvantage faced by Somali graduates their problem has never been addressed properly.

 

Ali and I neared at the end of our conversation. We noticed the waiter circling around us which meant it was almost closing time. Vainly wishing we would have more time, we departed sleepily and went our separate ways probably thinking how Somali graduates can enter and progress in the labour market.

 

Mohamed Mukhtar

London

[Jafarel.]

Taking a larger sample size will give better results.

 

Ali is one of many and perhaps one of few that you bumped into.

There are many somalis out there doing graduate jobs (many I know) and ofcourse a few 'Sales Consultants' at an uncle's Internet Cafes. How many none Somali graduates are doing non graduate jobs? What percentage of Somali graduates are doing graduate Jobs? Whats the potential(in £, $)of a Somali graduate and what percentage of that is s/he achieving?

 

there is no mechanism to gather data where Somali graduates go after university and the main reason is that Somalis are not classified as a separate ethnic group like Indians or Bangladeshis. Since there is no systematic monitoring evidence that can expose the disadvantage faced by Somali graduates their problem has never been addressed properly.

 

Until such mechanism is in place, your conclusion holds no water at all.

[Katrina]

I understand what your saying Jamarel but I think the article represents the majority not the minority. Your most likely referring to ppl with technical degrees like engineering where there will always be a demand for those graduates. Not to mention, minorites rule the technical world which makes it easier for somalias in cs or eng majors to be judged by their content and not the package they present. Although, they also need to have some experience in their field prior to graduating at least now a days.

I've been in schools for years and my personal experience (similar to most ppl I know) is Somali students are ill prepared to deal with the harsh reality of work in their major after graduation. I'm speaking of somali's in america. The general belief (from my experience)is they'll focus on school and working some part-time job that gives them the flexibility of studying at the job (security guard) or choosing their hours (cab driver) and the job will work itself out once I graduate, WRONG!! I understand most students have to support people back home or here but I'm referring to the general younger student body.

 

It's very important to actively seek out internships, co-op's or research opportunities with professors, non-profit organizations or working in campus labs or dept's. Employers today will not hire anyone without internships/co-op's for professional jobs ever!! As many have straight out told me. Ten yrs ago students were hired with out internships etc. but not anymore.

 

Yes, it's a pain and who's got the time but the way I see it is why pay thousands of dollars on getting an education if you won't do the wining & dining to get the job?? We have to talk, walk and sound like them to get what we want. Don't anyone take this out of content, I'm not referring to being anything other than yourself or taking up haraam habits but ppl need to know how to play the game in corporate America.

 

Somali students need to become active in organizations on campus and move outside their comfort zone. I found the best way to gain info is by talking the other students in your dept's or TA's. I wish there was a way to make the unkowning Farax's or Halimo's aware of this during freshman or sophmore yrs.

[Kashafa]

^^ Good post. As time goes by the economic market is getting more and more competitive. Internships, networking contacts, reccomendations all give one applicant a head start over another. Like Hurricane Katrina said, you must actively gain experience in your field while in college. If you're working to pay bills/tuition during the school year, take full advantage of the summer time. You don't want to be a green rookie fresh out of college with little to no experience on how the corporate world operates. You do want to be out-pacing your peers because of the time and preperation you put in.

 

The devil is in the details. Your big break could come from any of your free labour intern gigs.

[STOIC]

Katrina while i agree with you on the co-op/ internship opportunities one needs to have before stepping outside the dry power point presentation classes, You have to understand that when you have bills to pay and money to send back home you might not have time to attend that minority professional development meetings on every tuesday night.Essentially, the Somalian student have to make a choice between these priorities.Many of the internship openings wants you to work for them one to two months with minimum wages (if you lucky) or no pay at all(hate the CDC).I will be dishonest if i say that it is better for them to quit if they know that no one is going to hire them once they graduate because they didn't do internship.Education is a life process that opens your eyes for you to see things from different perspective but rarely do we see these way nowdays! Life will not be a big pratfall for you if you can't find a job in your major :cool: .

[Yoonis_Cadue]

That's very distressing, but i believe it is not only limited to Somali graduets alone.