More than nine in ten 2011 graduates in work six months after graduation

Recent graduates worrying about their employment prospects should take heart from figures released last week by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which revealed that 90.3% of UK students who completed full-time first degrees last summer were in work or further study six months after graduation.

This statistic masks significant variations in employment rates for graduates from different institutions. At the top end of the scale, all of last year’s graduates from the Institute of Education and 99% of graduates from the School of Pharmacy were in work or further study.

However, at some institutions, the proportion of students not in work or study six months after leaving higher education was much higher than the average, at around a fifth of graduates. This was the case for of London South Bank University (21.9%), East London University (20.6%) and Bolton University (21.2%).

The overall UK youth unemployment rate was 21.9% between February and April 2012, according to the Office for National Statistics. This is approximately double the proportion of 2011’s university leavers not in employment or study six months after graduation.

Professor Patrick McGhee, chair of the million+ organisation which represents many newer universities, commented, ‘It’s clear that at a time of high unemployment studying for a degree is still a very good way of getting a job.’

A number of new universities had a very high proportion of graduates in work or study, including Arts University College Bournemouth (97.7%), Robert Gordon University (97.1%) and the University of Northampton (96.6%).

Source: Targetjobs.co.uk, Tuesday 10th July 2012