Graduates' employment prospects on the up!

Engineering and building management graduates are both more likely to be in employment and earn higher salaries than graduates in other disciplines, according to the latest What Do Graduates Do? 2007

Diverse career paths available to graduates Engineering and building management graduates are both more likely to be in employment and earn higher salaries than graduates in other disciplines, according to the latest What Do Graduates Do? 2007 report, published by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU).

Employment rates and salaries are also higher than average in the engineering and building sectors.

Those graduating with degrees in Civil Engineering in 2005 have the highest employment rate of all engineering graduates, at 73.4 per cent, compared to the employment rate of 62.9 per cent for all graduates.

Not only that, but graduates from Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electronic Engineering can expect above average starting salaries, and expect to earn GBP20,325, GBP20,513 and GBP19,231 respectively, compared to the average for all first degree graduates of GBP17,715.

Additionally, civil engineering, and architecture and building graduates have the lowest levels of unemployment overall, with 3.3 and 3.9 per cent of graduates unemployed six months after getting their degree, respectively.

These two degrees see a high proportion of graduates entering jobs directly related to their field of study.

The What Do Graduates Do? 2007 report tracks the initial career destinations of the 2005 first degree and HND graduating cohort, and examines the employment market by type of work and subject of study.

The report is published by HECSU, AGCAS, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services and UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service and aims to provide a guide for Year 11 and 12 students, parents and careers advisors on the potential initial employment prospects provided by different degree subjects.

A range of options What Do Graduates Do? highlights the breadth of careers available to graduates, and the lack of restrictions a degree subject can place on a the choice of a graduate career.

For example, managerial roles are popular with the graduating cohort, with 9.5 per cent starting their career in management.

These jobs are most popular with business and management graduates and marketing graduates, but a range of subjects have an above average intake into this field including politics, economics, architecture and building and geography.

Mike Hill, the chief executive of HECSU, commented: "For the first time ever this year we have seen the number of graduates reach over a quarter of a million and the employment prospects for them look strong.

Graduates are continuing to pursue a wide range of careers employing the breadth of skills that their degree has equipped them with.

We are also seeing that graduates are unafraid to pursue careers that do not relate directly back to their course, indicating the vast career opportunities a degree offers".

The full report is available online at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/wdgd.

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