Record number of UK’s graduates in work, survey shows

A record number of the UK’s new graduates are in work or further study, according to figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

The HESA’s employment data showed that whilst the number of university leavers going into work or choosing to study further has hit a record high, many are also taking on jobs unrelated to their course.

Results

The research, which surveyed 399,345 UK and EU students who completed their university course in 2014-2015, found that nearly 10,000 graduates took on jobs within the first six months of leaving university.

The research also showed that there is a significant gender pay gap, with female graduates starting out on a salary of £21,000 compared to male graduates’ starting salary of £24,000.

The areas in which unemployment rates are highest were identified, with one in ten graduates in computer science being found to be out of work. However, this has decreased since 2011-2012, when it was 14 per cent.

Opportunities

Commenting on the research, Sutton Trust and Education Endowment Foundation Chairman, Sir Peter Lampl, said that more needs to be done to ensure that young people receive better information about the earnings and job opportunities linked to each course. He added that the government should expand the number of higher and degree apprenticeships.

“Universities should do more to prepare students for employment, and we need more paid internships recruited on merit,” he said.