Half graduates fail to land career within first year

MORE than half of university graduates are still looking for the sort of jobs they had hoped to land a year after they finish their studies, according to a study out today.

Most students starting degree courses in Scotland can reasonably expect salaries of 20,000-plus if they get a job which matches their qualifications.

But 54 per cent are still hunting for a job suited to their skills 12 months after graduating, according to the survey.

Only a quarter had managed to find employment within three months of graduating.

Graduates from Edinburgh University appear to fare better than the national average, although a third are not in graduate-style jobs six months after finishing their studies, according to university figures.

However, some of those not in work had gone on to further studies, while others were travelling. Heriot-Watt University said a quarter of its ex-students were not in work a year after graduating.

The UK-wide study also highlighted concerns among employers about graduates skills.

It found that employers who took part recommended that graduates should get plenty of work experience if they want to find a job. Only one third of the businesses surveyed believed that graduates were skilled enough with their degrees alone.

The study, Graduate Skills and the Workplace, was carried out by recruitment company Manpower, and 2140 UK companies and 813 graduates were surveyed.

Employers within the community and social sector are the most optimistic that ex-students will come with the skills required for the job, while just a quarter of manufacturers share this view.

Despite concerns over the lack of graduate skills, only 13 per cent of UK employers have a graduate training programme in place, according to the study.

The research shows that both employers and graduates are equally realistic about the length of time new graduates will stay in their first job. It found 43 per cent of employers and 42 per cent of graduates anticipated that graduates will remain in the job less than two years.

Greg Teare, operations director at Manpower, said: "Given that we still have a relatively buoyant employment market in the UK, it is surprising that so many graduates are still seeking their first graduate-level job. For many job seekers, temporary work often translates into permanent work with that employer or with another employer."

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), said: "The transition into employment for graduates is clearly more difficult and uncertain than for previous generations."