ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates how aspiring migrants are funnelled into unequal segments in the global labour market even before they leave their countries of origin. It draws from education studies to show how inequalities among universities also create horizontal stratification among aspiring migrants, disadvantaging working-class students from lower-tier institutions. The chapter argues that while students pursue higher education in the hope of obtaining professional positions overseas, universities and colleges continue to reproduce social hierarchies within Philippine society, socialising working-class students towards manual jobs that do not require college degrees. It investigates how disparities are evident in how different institutions define employable skills and what their students need to learn for their future work. The chapter shows how Hotel and Restaurant Management students from lower-tier colleges and universities construct a notion of 'working-class values' that makes them superior to their wealthier counterparts and compensates for their institutions' lack of prestige.
