matriculate into the workforce

[Angie8]

What does the word "matriculate" actually mean in the sentence below? Does it mean "to become a student" as the dictionary says? But it doesn't make sense to me if I read it like this "to become a student in the workforce." I was guessing it might mean "admit into the workforce"?

"Higher Education is selling an illusion: that a child of the well-to-do need not matriculate into the workforce—that mastery of a fungible skill is not necessary."


Thanks for help in advance.

 

[emsr2d2]

What does the word "matriculate" actually mean in the sentence below? Does it mean "to become a student" as the dictionary says? But it doesn't make sense to me if I read it like this "to become a student in the workforce." I was guessing it might mean "admit into the workforce"?

"Higher Education is selling an illusion: that a child of the well-to-do need not matriculate into the workforce—that mastery of a fungible skill is not necessary."


Thanks for help in advance.

It hasn't been used very well. I think the writer was trying to say that the children of rich parents don't need to gain qualifications in order to get a job. It's not necessary for them to finish school or university because they will probably get a job thanks to contacts of their parents or their parents' friends. In BrE, we have a phrase for it - "Jobs for the boys". It suggests that some organisations give jobs to people because of who they are, rather than based on their specific skills.

 

[5jj]

ps. If you didn't know what the word fungible meant, you were not alone. I had no idea.