View in EDS

Undergraduate Career Mentoring: Social Mobility Panacea or Ethical Dilemma?

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Undergraduate Career Mentoring: Social Mobility Panacea or Ethical Dilemma?
Language: English
Authors: Tania Lyden (ORCID 0000-0001-7136-0837)
Source: International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education. 2026 15(2):209-226.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Mentors, Higher Education, Social Mobility, Socioeconomic Status, Socioeconomic Influences, Foreign Countries, Educational Benefits, Occupational Aspiration, Teacher Student Relationship
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
DOI: 10.1108/IJMCE-12-2024-0135
ISSN: 2046-6854
2046-6862
Abstract: Purpose: Does mentoring enhance social mobility potential? With UK higher education (HE) regulators demanding more evidence-based funding decisions, this study explores how social diversity influences mentoring processes and outcomes for undergraduates on a HE career mentoring scheme. Design/methodology/approach: This mixed-methodology case study uses quantitative surveys to compare mentee gains by socioeconomic status (SES) and explores mentoring influences via 12 semi-structured interviews with employer-alumni mentors and mentees. Findings: Low-SES mentees secured more psychosocial and, at least, comparable career development gains but experienced more negative affect when feeling inferior during partial mentor identification. The themes of "outcomes", "interaction" and "antecedents" reveal a multi-level mentoring system. Social diversity, via habitus, interacts with social structures to deliver low-SES mentee gains but diminishes career aspiration. Performance mastery supports prospective social mobility but does not overpower habitus. Conversely, this system raises high-SES mentee aspiration, creating ethical dilemmas. Research limitations/implications: The quantitative results provide transferability and focus on prospective social mobility. Faulty feedback loops limit mentor outcome assessment. Practical implications: The findings require systems thinking in scheme managers and the raising of participant class consciousness. Participant reflexivity, normalising emotion sharing and mentor scaffolding of mentee agency need fostering. Scheme design should be enhanced by mentee peer support and longer-term evaluation of outcomes. Originality/value: This study is potentially the first for this scheme type to compare mentee outcomes by SES and explore SES influence. It refines mentoring conceptualisation around duration, power and effectiveness and encourages funding.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506668
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506668
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Undergraduate Career Mentoring: Social Mobility Panacea or Ethical Dilemma?
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tania+Lyden%22">Tania Lyden</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7136-0837">0000-0001-7136-0837</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Mentoring+and+Coaching+in+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 15(2):209-226.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 18
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mentors%22">Mentors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Mobility%22">Social Mobility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Status%22">Socioeconomic Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Influences%22">Socioeconomic Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Benefits%22">Educational Benefits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+Aspiration%22">Occupational Aspiration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Student+Relationship%22">Teacher Student Relationship</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1108/IJMCE-12-2024-0135
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2046-6854<br />2046-6862
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Does mentoring enhance social mobility potential? With UK higher education (HE) regulators demanding more evidence-based funding decisions, this study explores how social diversity influences mentoring processes and outcomes for undergraduates on a HE career mentoring scheme. Design/methodology/approach: This mixed-methodology case study uses quantitative surveys to compare mentee gains by socioeconomic status (SES) and explores mentoring influences via 12 semi-structured interviews with employer-alumni mentors and mentees. Findings: Low-SES mentees secured more psychosocial and, at least, comparable career development gains but experienced more negative affect when feeling inferior during partial mentor identification. The themes of "outcomes", "interaction" and "antecedents" reveal a multi-level mentoring system. Social diversity, via habitus, interacts with social structures to deliver low-SES mentee gains but diminishes career aspiration. Performance mastery supports prospective social mobility but does not overpower habitus. Conversely, this system raises high-SES mentee aspiration, creating ethical dilemmas. Research limitations/implications: The quantitative results provide transferability and focus on prospective social mobility. Faulty feedback loops limit mentor outcome assessment. Practical implications: The findings require systems thinking in scheme managers and the raising of participant class consciousness. Participant reflexivity, normalising emotion sharing and mentor scaffolding of mentee agency need fostering. Scheme design should be enhanced by mentee peer support and longer-term evaluation of outcomes. Originality/value: This study is potentially the first for this scheme type to compare mentee outcomes by SES and explore SES influence. It refines mentoring conceptualisation around duration, power and effectiveness and encourages funding.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1506668
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506668
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1108/IJMCE-12-2024-0135
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 209
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mentors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Mobility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Influences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Benefits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational Aspiration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Student Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Undergraduate Career Mentoring: Social Mobility Panacea or Ethical Dilemma?
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tania Lyden
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 2046-6854
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2046-6862
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 15
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1