Graduates struggling to find a full-time job after leaving university may decide that setting up their own business is an attractive alternative.
According to research by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, graduates are waiting up to three and a half years to secure a full-time position. The HESA surveyed 49,065 people who graduated in 2007 and discovered that 28% of them were working part-time last year. 3.5% of respondents said their status was “other” which HESA interpreted as meaning unemployed.
The general secretary of the University and College Union, Sally Hunt, said it was worrying that an increasing number of graduates remain without a job. It’s now even harder to secure employment and new students coming into a system which charges the highest university fees in entire world deserve to have better prospects. Countries which invest in their graduates will be the ones that reap the rewards.
Another study, this time from totaljobs.com has found that only 9% of graduates would rather work in the public sector than in the charity or private sector.
This does seem to be surprising considering the amount of time it takes to find a job. Totaljobs.com’s graduate director, Mike Fetters, explained that the public sector was a top destination for graduates a few years ago and there are still opportunities available despite the spending cuts. He went on to say that the public sector offers career progression and good training and graduates should at least consider the wide range of opportunities available.
The survey also found that 82% of graduate jobseekers think the jobs market is now tougher than it was a couple of years ago.
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