To feel like I’ll never be “middle class”?

[Workinclasshero]

I’m from a working class background - my mum was a receptionist & my dad worked in a factory. Grew up on a council estate and was the first (and only one in my school friend group) to go to uni which always made me feel like a bit of an outsider to some level. My school friends always said I spoke “posh” too!

I now work in the education sector (not the best paid sector) and pretty much all my colleagues are what I would call middle class. Almost all went to private or grammar schools. Their parents were things like journalists, drs and business owners. They have almost all been to Russell group unis (mine wasn’t) and are just from a very different background to me. I have been asked numerous times about where my accent is from (I have the regional accent of the area) despite being from 10 minutes down the road from where I work (and where most of them also grew up and live).

Aibu to think I will always feel like an outsider in this job? Has anyone else experienced this?

You're working class. You can't change what class you are, it's ingrained in you through upbringing. I'm working class and my best friend is - we were both brought up in the same area, went to the same school. He now lives a decidedly more "middle class" lifestyle than me - went to university, works in education, has a wealthy partner and they have a City lifestyle in London (own a property in Greenwich) but his roots are the same and he's still my best friend.

I can really empathise with you OP. Class can still feel like a big deal in this country.
I think the best thing to be is proud of who you are and what you have achieved. Your parents worked hard and so have you. Being middle class is not a better thing - that is a mind trick played on us by consumerism and snobbery. There is more to life, far far more.
We are all fine as we are. 💐🌻

I agree.

In my view there is a huge grey area. The vast majority of the British population could qualify as either working class or middle class (ignoring the aristocracy/upper class).

A PP said that she was working class because her parents were a nurse and a teacher. Other people would say that they were middle class for the same reason!

I think you need to go and make a cup of tea. You’re embarrassing yourself.