Family background more important for a good graduate job in the UK than in Germany

The expansion of higher education in the UK has been driven by a political desire to increase economic growth and to promote social mobility at the same time by drawing more graduates from a larger pool of talent. Yet evidence shows that despite the growing number of people graduating from university, social inequalities persist in job opportunities for young people.

Comparing the situation in the UK and Germany is a useful way of understanding the ways through which graduates from higher social backgrounds get better jobs when they finish university. The two countries differ in the structure of their education systems and in the strength of the link between education and the labour market.