In brief

Maths A-level leads to higher earnings for men
Being 'work ready' tops employers' wish list
Students 'flee responsibility and entrepreneurship'
Three-quarters of new graduates entered employment, DLHE survey found
What do graduates from Scotland do?
New students expect to pay £33,512 to get a degree
Technology in Business Fast Stream launched
One in three graduates have actively switched brands because of a bad recruitment experience

Maths A-level leads to higher earnings for men

Men who have an A-level in mathematics are more likely to earn higher wages than their male peers who have A-levels in other subjects.

Examining a sample of men born in one week in 1958, researchers at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the Institute of Education found that at age 33, men who had an A-level in mathematics earned between 10% and 14% more than similarly educated males without a maths A-level.

According to Dr Anna Vignoles, who carried out the research, ‘the skills associated with other A-level subjects - even subjects generally considered harder than maths, such as physics or chemistry - simply do not have the same impact on earnings.’

Further research in this area also reveals that employers are not willing to pay premium wages to those who have pursued a broad range of subjects at A-level.

Dr Vignoles says: ‘In the light of the most recent reforms to the 16 to 19 curriculum, which encourage students to study a broader range of subjects, this finding is rather worrying. Our research would indicate that the debate about the excessive over-specialisation at age 16 in the UK is somewhat misplaced.’

For more information, go to The Institute of Education.

Being 'work ready' tops employers' wish list

Having relevant work experience is the most important factor employers look for when recruiting a new graduate, according to a survey of 505 employers by the University of Hertfordshire.

Almost half (46%) of employers surveyed ranked relevant work experience as one of the top three things they look for in potential new recruits. Almost the same number (43%) look for evidence of a good ‘work ethic’, while two-fifths (41%) cited a degree subject relevant to the job as one of the most important factors. Over three-quarters (77%) of recruiters are put off a CV by spelling mistakes and one in five (19%) would decline an interview with someone with no relevant work experience.

Reported on Onrec.com, a Manpower survey of 745 graduates found that while three-quarters (76%) of graduates believe that relevant work experience is necessary to secure the job they want, 79% say they cannot afford to secure this experience by working for free on a placement.

For more information, go to University of Hertfordshire and onrec.com.

Students 'flee responsibility and entrepreneurship'

Becoming a manager or setting up a business are not nearly as important to today's students as having a work-life balance, according to The Universum UK Graduate Survey 2006.

The latest survey by Universum Communications, covering over 7,500 final and penultimate-year students, found that a balanced personal life and career is the most important career goal, stated by 52% of the students surveyed. This is above reaching a managerial level (19%), managing projects (16%) and starting a business (6%).

The survey also found that banking and financial companies are more popular as future employers among Chinese than students from other ethnic groups, while Asian/Asian British students have a stronger tendency towards IT companies and the pharmaceutical industry than most. Amongst white students and students with a mixed ethnic background, government departments and the public bodies are most frequently selected as ideal employers.

Three-quarters of new graduates entered employment, DLHE survey found

According to the latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, in 2004/05, of the 180,800 full-time first degree graduates whose destinations was known, 63% were in employment only, 8% were in a combination of work and study, 16% were involved in further study only, and 7% were assumed to be unemployed.

Amongst UK-domiciled full-time first degree graduates, the highest proportions of those working were in medicine & dentistry, subjects allied to medicine, veterinary science and education, all above 80%. The highest proportions of those studying were in law, at over 50%, and mathematical sciences, physical sciences, and historical & philosophical studies, all above 30%. Computer science had the highest unemployment rate, at just under 11%, and creative arts & design, and engineering & technology were both above 8%.

More information can be found at Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Look out also for What Do Graduates Do? 2007, a joint HECSU and AGCAS publication detailing graduates’ destinations by subject areas, out in November this year.

What do graduates from Scotland do?

One year after gaining their qualification in either a Scottish higher or further educaiton institution, almost half (45%) of graduates from the class of 2004 feel that they have commenced their chosen career, while a further quarter (26%) feel they are on track but not quite there yet.

The second sweep of the On Track: Class of 2004 longitudinal survey also found that given a list of things that institutions could have done to help learners with their next steps, the most popular choices selected are publicising the careers service more effectively, setting up work shadowing opportunities and work experience.

Another report, Scotland’s Class of ‘99, which complements the On Track study, shows that 83% of graduates from Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) manage to secure graduate-level employment within four years of graduation. Graduates from Scottish HEIs were also more likely to indicate that their current jobs were ideal or near-ideal for someone with their skills and qualifications - 48% compared with 43% of graduates from HEIs in England and Wales. Moreover, the average annual wages for male and female graduates are closer in Scotland (a gap of £3,100) than for the rest of the UK (a gap of £3,900).

Scotland’s Class of ‘99 can be downloaded from The Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The results are found to correspond closely with the findings of Futureskills Scotland’s recent study, The Labour Market for Graduates in Scotland (see the article Destinations of Scottish graduates in the Summer 2006 issue of Graduate Market Trends).

New students expect to pay £33,512 to get a degree

Sixth formers starting university this year expect to pay £33,512 for a three-year degree course, according to the 2006 NatWest Student Money Matters survey.

This is up from £28,600 last year and includes the new tuition fees. As a result, students expect to graduate with £14,779 of debt, an increase of £1,099 on 2005 figures.

The NatWest survey of graduates, students and sixth formers also reveals that graduate debt continues to rise, although at a much slower pace to previous years. Graduates now leave university with £13,252 of debt, an increase of £612 (5%) on 2005.

A press release with the survey results can be found at Natwest.

Technology in Business Fast Stream launched

The first Technology in Business Fast Stream for the Civil Service has been launched by the Cabinet Office, and will form part of the Civil Service Fast Stream, an accelerated training and development programme for graduates.

According to the Cabinet Office, graduates for the new scheme will be selected for their potential to become future Chief Information Officers or leaders of large scale, IT-enabled business change. Applicants must have a 2:1 or above or a postgraduate qualification in business, engineering, librarianship, mathematical science, physical science, technology or IT management for business. Mixed degrees are accepted provided 50% of the course modules are in one of the disciplines specified.

Full information is available at Government IT Profession. The application deadline is 30 November 2006.

One in three graduates have actively switched brands because of a bad recruitment experience

Over a third (34%) of graduate job-seekers have actively switched brand loyalty following a negative experience while applying for a job with that brand, according to research by Reed Consulting.

The research, which surveyed over 2,500 graduate job-seekers across a number of sectors, found that close to a quarter (22%) of graduates had turned down a job offer because they had been put off by an organisation’s behaviour during the recruitment process.

The top five complaints were: ‘not hearing back from a company at all’ (66%); ‘no feedback being given’ (60%); ‘job that was advertised changing or no longer being available’ (32%); ‘lack of information about the organisation or role’ (31%) and ‘long delays before attending final interview/assessment centre’ (22.5%).

Fifty eight per cent of respondents also said their perception of an organisation’s brand has changed following first hand experience of applying to work for them; of these, 66% said their view is now less favourable.

The research is said to indicate that ‘employers need to ensure that all aspects of the recruitment process are run effectively in order to avoid any negative impact on their bottom line.'

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