More than a quarter of graduates are still without a full-time job more than three years after leaving university, official figures show.
Rising numbers of ex-students are being forced to work as volunteers, join the dole queue or enrol on another higher education course, it was revealed.
In all, almost 28 per cent of UK students were not in full time employment after finishing degrees or postgraduate studies in 2007 – just before the economic downturn.
The disclosure – in data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency – underlines the extent to which the recession has placed a squeeze on graduate jobs.
Students from new universities are twice as likely to be out of work than those graduating from elite Russell Group institutions, it was revealed.
Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students, said many graduates who failed to find decent jobs were being forced to support themselves with overdrafts and commercial loans.
He added: “Times are tough for young people at the moment with rising unemployment no matter how well qualified they are, and through its lack of support the Government risks losing a generation to low skills and high unemployment.
“If jobs aren't available on graduation, things like overdrafts and commercial loans become incredibly toxic.”
But David Willetts, the Universities Minister, insisted a degree was still "financially as well as intellectually rewarding".
"In the future, we want universities to become even more responsive to their students," he said. "That is why we are improving the information available on different courses, strengthening the links between employers and universities and putting a new focus on student entrepreneurs."
Hesa obtained data from 46,065 UK students and 3,000 Europeans who finished university courses in 2007.
Of those, just 72.3 per cent of UK graduates were in full-time paid work after three and a half years. This compares with 76.1 per cent who left university in 2005 when the survey was last carried out.
Some 3.5 per cent of students were unemployed, compared with 2.6 per cent of the 2005 cohort.
More than one-in-20 students who went to a university afiliated to Million Plus – which represents new universities – was unemployed after three and a half years. This compares with 2.5 per cent of those who attended a Russell Group institution.
And students taking courses in creative arts, computer science and architecture were most likely to be unemployed, it was revealed.
According to figures, remaining graduates were either in part-time jobs, working as volunteers or taking another university course.
Some 6.5 per cent of graduates were in further study, compared with 5.5 per cent two years earlier, suggesting more students are returning to university to insulate themselves from the tough unemployment market.
Commenting on the figures, Roderick Wilkes, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, said: “Underpinning the figures is the suggestion that you can’t educate out of an employment slump: students are returning to university for further study, yet this is not reflected in graduate employment figures.
"Coupled with the fact that from 2012, a year at university will cost more than the average graduate salary, professional qualifications are an alternative way to give young people a foot onto the career ladder, where they can earn while they learn.
"That is not to say university is redundant, quite the opposite, but the current system is failing thousands of young people and for them, we need to look at a new way.”
Article from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8735277/Quarter-of-graduates-without-full-time-jobs-after-three-years.html
“If jobs aren't available on graduation, things like overdrafts and commercial loans become incredibly toxic.”
But David Willetts, the Universities Minister, insisted a degree was still "financially as well as intellectually rewarding".
"In the future, we want universities to become even more responsive to their students," he said. "That is why we are improving the information available on different courses, strengthening the links between employers and universities and putting a new focus on student entrepreneurs."
Hesa obtained data from 46,065 UK students and 3,000 Europeans who finished university courses in 2007.
Of those, just 72.3 per cent of UK graduates were in full-time paid work after three and a half years. This compares with 76.1 per cent who left university in 2005 when the survey was last carried out.
Some 3.5 per cent of students were unemployed, compared with 2.6 per cent of the 2005 cohort.
More than one-in-20 students who went to a university afiliated to Million Plus – which represents new universities – was unemployed after three and a half years. This compares with 2.5 per cent of those who attended a Russell Group institution.
And students taking courses in creative arts, computer science and architecture were most likely to be unemployed, it was revealed.
According to figures, remaining graduates were either in part-time jobs, working as volunteers or taking another university course.
Some 6.5 per cent of graduates were in further study, compared with 5.5 per cent two years earlier, suggesting more students are returning to university to insulate themselves from the tough unemployment market.
Commenting on the figures, Roderick Wilkes, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, said: “Underpinning the figures is the suggestion that you can’t educate out of an employment slump: students are returning to university for further study, yet this is not reflected in graduate employment figures.
"Coupled with the fact that from 2012, a year at university will cost more than the average graduate salary, professional qualifications are an alternative way to give young people a foot onto the career ladder, where they can earn while they learn.
"That is not to say university is redundant, quite the opposite, but the current system is failing thousands of young people and for them, we need to look at a new way.”
Article from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8735277/Quarter-of-graduates-without-full-time-jobs-after-three-years.html
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