The Mobility of Degree Level Graduates of the University of Guyana

Abstract

This article, which is a follow up to one already done on the trends of education at the University of Guyana (usually referred to as U.G.) [1], seeks to trace the physical, occupational and social mobility patterns of these graduates. Areas covered include rural-urban movement and emigration (the 'brain-drain'), inter-ethnic mobility rates, parental occupational background, graduates' salary and occupational changes, job satisfaction and future mobility aspirational attitudes. The study is concerned with the 365 first degree level graduates of the six batches between January, 1968 and November, 1972 [2]. During this period there were also 280 Diploma and Certificate graduates in seven different disciplines, viz., Education, Public Administration, Radiography, Medical Technology, Social Work, General Technical Diploma and Higher Technical Diploma [3]. Our reason for not being concerned with these 280 graduates is that we view the Diploma and Certificate programme as more or less service oriented, catering mainly for sponsored students so that our analyses would tend to be somewhat restricted by the two factors of 'service orientation' and 'sponsorship'.