Jeanette Davies

Research Student

Jeanette Davies is affiliated with the Department of People and Organisations.

You can email Jeanette Davies directly but for media enquiries, please contact a member of The Open University's Media Relations team.

Biography

Jeanette Davies is a PhD student in The Open University's Business School, researching social mobility and work-based learning. With extensive experience in further and higher education, their expertise includes curriculum development, quality assurance, and overseeing student experience in higher education. Their research explores the long-term impact of work-based learning programmes on social mobility and graduate outcomes, focusing on how these pathways support career progression and socio-economic mobility. Passionate about widening participation and inclusive education, they seek to contribute to discussions on educational policy and work-based learning practice, aiming to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional development.

Current Research

Work-Based-Learning: Degree Apprenticeships and Social Mobility

The PhD research examines the impact of work-based learning programmes on social mobility and graduate outcomes. Using a life history approach, the study explores the experiences of graduates from a variety of work-based learning pathways, including degree apprenticeships, foundation degrees, higher national certificates, higher national diplomas, professional qualifications, and postgraduate certificates and diploma programmes.

Through this broad work-based learning scope, the study aims to analyse graduates' career trajectories, socio-economic progression, and the broader policy landscape influencing work-based learning opportunities. By examining life histories of work-based learning graduates, the study seeks to provide insights into the role of work-based learning in facilitating social mobility and lifelong career development.

Research Contributions and Impact:

The outcomes of their research have significantly contributed to the understanding of social mobility and career progression in work-based learning, particularly within degree apprenticeships. Their work has secured seed-corn funding to investigate social class origins, barriers, and inclusive practices within the Open University Degree Apprenticeships, building on previous research focused on the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship as an enabler of social mobility. The research has informed recommendations on improving recruitment and support practices to enhance accessibility and equity within work-based learning.

Their work has been presented at national academic conferences, including the British Academy of Management Annual Conference and the Learning, Teaching, and Student Experience Conference, where they have shared insights on degree apprenticeships as mechanisms for upward social mobility. Additionally, their research has contributed to institutional reports and external publications, including a blog post on degree apprenticeships and social mobility, further extending the impact of their work.

Previous research has also been presented at the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning Annual Conference, where they explored the challenges faced by foundation degree students in balancing work and study.

Beyond conference presentations, their work has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, contributing to discussions on student experience and equity in higher education, reinforcing their engagement with critical debates on access, participation, and lifelong learning.

Beyond their research contributions, they are an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the British Academy of Management. Their work continues to contribute to discussions on widening participation, equity in higher education, and the evolving role of work-based-learning in supporting career aspirations and social mobility.