ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the issue of work experience from a new perspective, that of access to leading UK universities. It describes quantifying differences in the work-related activity reported by applicants from a range of educational backgrounds. The chapter considers the ways in which work experience is conceptualized within the higher education admissions, both by applicants and within the sector, with a view to assessing wider implications for social mobility and social justice. It focuses on work-related activity: how it may advantage some applicants more than others in the higher education admissions process. In the United Kingdom, the agency responsible for processing admissions is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The chapter explores whether a move from universal engagement to a policy focused more on those planning immediate entry to the labour market may leave some young people further disadvantaged in the higher education admissions process.
