HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY COUNCIL OF ONTARIO
School-to-Work Transitions: PSE Graduates' Labour Market Outcomes Based on Identity Characteristics

Students from historically marginalized groups face worse labour market outcomes despite participation in school-to-work transition supports.

Supporting postsecondary education (PSE) grads as they transition into the labour market helps prepare them for success in their careers, including first jobs that are higher paying and more directly related to their field of study. Recent research from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) has shown that participation in support services and activities offered by PSE institutions - such as work-integrated learning opportunities and networking - benefits graduates through that transition. However, these services and activities do not benefit all graduates equally.

As part of recent research into the subject, HEQCO explored the efficacy of school-to-work transition supports for Ontario graduates by surveying 271 recent four-year bachelor's degree graduates from publicly assisted Ontario colleges or universities and interviewing 11 of those recent graduates. They found that students from historically marginalized groups such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA2+ students and those with disabilities or from low-income households experienced worse labour market outcomes than their peers. Students with disabilities and those from low-income households experienced unequal outcomes, even when they took advantage of supports offered by their postsecondary institutions at the same or similar rates as their peers.

The study highlights that the transition into and early years in the labour market varies widely among individuals. It also reveals a concerning issue: despite making use of supports they're told will help them, students from some historically marginalized groups still struggle to establish themselves in the labour market. Institutions can continue to work to better understand and address the unique challenges faced by different groups, ensuring equitable access to experiential learning and career services, and developing tailored interventions to support these students effectively.

Read the report