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Graduate Employment Report

Edited by: Michael Yeboah
Graduate recruitment has increased in recent years but the job market still remains highly competitive. At least 350,000 graduates leave university each year looking
for work with a large number of applicants competing for each job vacancy. In the current climate, having a good degree in a relevant subject is not always enough.
It may help to get you shortlisted but an offer of employment will depend on the additional skills offered to complement any academic achievements. Employability
skills are becoming increasingly important to employers who shortlist a growing number of similarly qualified applicants for the same job.

The Skills Gap

A skills gap threatens the sustainability of businesses around the world.  ENTHUSIASM
Whilst a large part of the skills gap is focused on shortages of people skilled Graduates should take steps to improve their employability skills before
in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, leaving university. Skills development programmes will bridge the gap
there is also a gap in ‘soft skills’ such as problem solving, team working between education and employment by providing career development
and communication. In a recent employment and skills survey employers activities, work experience and volunteering opportunities. These will equip
identified the following skills as being in short supply: students with the skills required for work and increase their value in the job
market.
Employability Skills
Those leaving the education system often lack the skills that employers are
Volunteering Projects
looking for. A fall in vocational training and a rise in graduate degree Many employers favour applicants with voluntary work experience. The
training have led to graduates having higher qualifications but fewer range of employability skills that can be gained is extensive including
workplace skills - they know more but can do less. leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, initiative and self-awareness.
Graduate employers across all industries want more than just academic Virtually every paid job can be mirrored by a volunteering opportunity and
qualifications. They want graduates who can demonstrate a wide range of so can also give direction and focus to choosing a career.
skills, attributes and knowledge, often called ‘employability skills’. The Being a volunteer brings value to the local community and develops skills
most valued skills are: at the same time. It also provides the opportunity to meet new professionals,
 COMMUNICATION gain new skills, network and develop relationships that might become
crucial in future career development. Some volunteering placements offer
 TEAM WORKING accredited training such as first aid, child protection and mental health
 LEADERSHIP awareness training.
 INITIATIVE
Peer Mentoring
 PROBLEM-SOLVING
 FLEXIBILITY

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Peer mentoring is all about students supporting each other. It is a voluntary had no previous work experience have very little chance of receiving a job
scheme which was designed to help new students in their first year of study offer on a graduate programme.
but is also available to continuing students who feel they could benefit from
peer support. Mentoring provides the opportunity of developing transferable Digital Skills
skills, meeting new people and gaining valuable experience.
A worker with inadequate digital skills wastes up to 21% of total
Student Ambassadors productivity time and an average office worker is estimated to waste an
hour a day through poor computer knowledge.
This scheme recruits students to represent the university at on-campus
According to top employers graduates are missing out on jobs because their
events as well as in local schools, colleges and the community. The aim of
grasp of digital technology is not strong enough. Digital skills and knowing
the scheme is to raise aspirations and encourage people from a variety of
how to use basic productivity software such as word processing software
backgrounds to consider progression to higher education. Student
and spreadsheets are baseline requirements in nearly 80 percent of all
Ambassadors provide a role model to learners and a unique perspective on
middle-skill job openings and are critical to earning a living wage these
life as a student which can engage and inspire.
days. Jobs that require digital skills are growing at a much faster rate than
As ambassadors, students get involved in a range of challenging and other jobs.
rewarding placements and projects including open days, taster days, student
shadowing, marketing events, and higher education fairs. Student Future Projections
ambassadors receive training to support them in their outreach and
recruitment roles. The scheme provides work and training opportunities A career for life is no longer an option. Most people will hold jobs with a
which help to build confidence, encourage personal development and variety of employers and move across different employment sectors through
develop transferable employability skills in preparation for future their working life. Transferable and employability skills are essential in
employment. career development.
Research has shown a changing jobs market, with employers saying they
Internships need to recruit more skilled staff, while cutting the number of low-skilled
jobs. This is good news for those graduating from university. Business and
Everyone agrees that work placements and internships make a huge
the IT sector are expected to see the strongest rates of job growth in the next
difference to employability skills. Graduate internships and work placement
10 years. Manufacturing, education and public administration jobs will
opportunities offer relevant work experience and are an increasingly
continue to decline, as will administrative and secretarial occupations which
popular way of launching a career. Working as an intern in a firm is a great
will see the largest decline with 390,000 fewer jobs. The construction,
way of making valuable contacts in a chosen profession.
health and social care sectors are expected to see strong growth, as will
Research suggests that the key to securing a top role is to undertake work leisure and other service sectors which are expected to contribute over
placements at the company in question. A third of graduate vacancies are 400,000 additional jobs.
filled by applicants who have already worked for the organisation during
As we move to a digital economy, digital skills are becoming more and
their degree course, either through paid internships, industrial placements or
more important for students to master. By 2020 it is predicted that digital
holiday work. For employers, work experience schemes have become an
skills will be required by 90% of all jobs across all work sectors and there
integral part of recruiting new graduates. Many use this as a way to try out
will be up to 900,000 unfilled IT vacancies.
graduates before offering them a permanent position. Graduates who have

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