Until the beginning of the 2000s, attending a university in Brazil was something far from the reality of the majority of the population. However, despite the negative reaction of some sectors of Brazilian society, this situation changed with the choice for the democratization of access to higher education.
Thousands of young people, who were left to their own devices and with no prospects for the future, began to see education as a means of ascending socially.
Currently, it is common to hear several reports of those who were born in unstructured environments and faced the most varied adversities to become the first representatives of their families who managed to go beyond elementary or high school.
Many had the belief that finishing their degree would be enough to succeed in life. However, this illusion quickly dissolves when they begin to face the first challenges in the job market.
A common mistake is to attend low quality private universities or courses with little market demand. With their diploma in hand, many low-income youth feel frustrated that they gave it their all and, in the end, find themselves unemployed or in low-paying occupations.
Even those who come out of the best universities and the most sought-after courses in the country tend to have some difficulties. Unlike their high-income counterparts, the underprivileged often make their own way.
The absence of social models does not only affect the construction of their trajectories, but a good network of contacts can represent a source of support and learning to deal with the most varied demands and as support to face the challenges that arise in the career.
Contacts also tend to be a relevant means by which high-income young people are able to enter better positioned in the job market. In addition, in many cases, these young people are able to take greater risks.
When looking for a job, they have the opportunity to wait longer and thus accept the best offers. In the case of the disadvantaged, financial difficulties create pressure to accept any job and the absence of references can contribute to them accepting lower wages.
Social origin also has the potential to affect the dynamics of human interactions within companies. High-income young people tend to have a cultural base that is relatively closer to that of their directors and managers, and this can facilitate the creation of deeper connections and, consequently, be reflected in later growth in the organization.
Additionally, having good training at all school stages, something that should be a real possibility for every population in any country that wants to one day develop, is still something reserved only for a small portion of Brazilian society.
In this context, there is still the aggravating factor that higher education is not enough to close the entire gap in skills acquired throughout life between different social classes. Those who have parents with higher levels of education and income will tend to develop a broader skill set throughout their lives and this will be reflected in distinct career opportunities.
Even if the son of a doorman manages to leave many elite children behind in the labor market, it must be remembered that the latter have inherited a heritage that, in many cases, the descendants of the doorman will take generations to achieve.
The text is a tribute to the song “Keep Movin’On”, composed and performed by Sam Cooke.
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
