This is the second in the six part ” Jobs and the Future” series by the CADSTI – Future Think Project, an initiative of the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation-UK.
The UK’s Times Top 100 employers overwhelmingly target the “Russell Group” universities in their graduate recruitment drives – just 24 of the 115 universities in the country.
However, too many of our hard working and high achieving Caribbean children find themselves locked out of the Russell Group (and top employers) simply because they did not study the particular GCSE and A level subjects required for entry into the Russell Group.
This is no doubt one of the reasons why Black 18 year olds go to university at a higher rate than Whites, yet are three times more likely to be unemployed six months after they graduate. (Elevation Networks).
Clearly, the government and schools are not doing enough to put things right. We can however learn from the many Black parents in our midst, of all class and educational backgrounds, who have successfully navigated their children through the challenging UK educational landscape into the Russell Group and lucrative careers.
These parents realise that the road to the Russell Group begins at age 5 or even before. They learn parenting practices which encourage good habits, a positive mindset and enthusiasm for learning.
These parents also learn how to use the very high quality, low cost (or even free) educational resources available nowadays to help their children excel academically.
Finally, these parents learn what the Russell Group are looking for and plan how to get their children there. Private schools (there are many scholarships and bursaries available), grammar schools, or the higher sets of carefully selected state (often church) schools can all provide an effective pipeline into the Russell Group.
The Russell Group’s guide Informed Choices is a “must read” for all Caribbean parents, grandparents and concerned adults – see http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices.aspx.
It is key to ensuring that the door to the best universities and lucrative careers remains wide open.
The CADSTI-Future Think Project runs parenting problem solving surgeries by the Caribbean Diaspora for the Caribbean Diaspora. Email: [email protected]. ©Future Think August 1st 2013
