» Introduction
The figures in Table 1 for numbers graduating (survey respondents) show that there has been a 14.7% fall in survey respondents between 1999 and 2002, from 11,135 to 9,500 respectively. However, the number of respondents in 2002 and 2001 (the latter reported in last year's edition of What Do Graduates Do?) shows that the number has stabilised in recent years at around 9,500. Just under 93% of Higher National Diplomates who completed their course in 2002 progressed to employment or further study, compared with 85.6% of graduates completing a first degree. Less than 4% of diplomates were unemployed six months after graduation in 2002 compared with nearly 7% of graduates completing first degrees. | | Table 1: The first destinations of diplomates from Higher National Diploma courses 1999-2002 | | Numbers graduating (survey respondents) | Entering employment [%] | Entering further study/ training [%] | Unemployed at time of survey [%] | Other [%] | | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 | 1999 | | All first degree subjects | 176,390 | 176,205 | 66.9 | 68.5 | 18.7 | 19.2 | 6.9 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 6.8 | | HND all subjects | 9,500 | 11,135 | 28.0 | 30.0 | 64.6 | 63.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.9 |
» Destinations
The most popular destination for Higher National Diplomates following graduation continues to be further study or training with 60.5% progressing to a first degree and a further 4.1% undertaking other kinds of further study in the UK and overseas. The latter includes starting a new higher education course, for example starting an HND Music Performance/Production course following completion of HND Business, or starting an art foundation course after completing HND Hospitality Management. Diplomates progressing to a first degree in the same subject typically enter the second year of the degree course, although in some cases entry to the third year is possible. However, good results are required and it should not be assumed that an HND is an automatic route into the second or third year of a degree. Analysis of destinations of HND diplomates from one North West university reveals that of the 16 HND programmes on offer, all 97 students completing ten of the programmes in 2002 progressed to degree courses in the same subject area six months after completing their HND studies. Of the 111 students on the remaining six programmes, 94 progressed to further study, 91 to a related degree course and three to other training. » Type of work
Over a quarter, 28.0%, of diplomates completing courses in 2002 entered employment. The highest proportions entered occupations defined as ‘other’ (15.8%) which includes buyers, various food preparation trades, and trades associated with textiles and garments and occupations within the retail assistants, catering, waiting and bar staff category (15.6%). In addition, 14.4% entered commercial, industrial and public sector management occupations. Between 2001 and 2002, there has been a decline in the percentage becoming information technology professionals from 6.9% to 4.4% and an increase in the proportion entering media, literary design and sports professional posts from 7.4% to 8.5%. Many employers do not have a clear policy towards recruitment of diplomates, nor do they make any explicit reference to HND in their recruitment critieria. It is important, therefore, that diplomates who wish to enter employment are proactive in preparing and submitting good CVs and application forms which draw attention to any work experience they may have undertaken as part of their course. » Salaries
According to analysis of the government’s Labour Force Survey for the period September 2001 to August 2002, as reported in the Spring 2003 edition of Graduate Market Trends, the average weekly earnings of full-time employees whose highest qualification was a higher education qualification other than degree or equivalent* was £466 for all ages 21-60. For the same age group, the weekly earnings for those whose highest qualification was a degree or equivalent was £605, for GCE A-level or equivalent £405 and for those with no qualifications, £289. Just taking the earnings of those aged 21-25, the figure for degree or equivalent was £357, for other higher education qualifications £314, for A-levels or equivalent £284 and for no qualifications, £229. * HND is included in this group. » Contacts and resources
WebsitesResources on this sitePublicationsGraduate Prospects publicationsGraduate Prospects and AGCAS publications should be available in your university careers service. You can also order publications from us. - Graduate Market Trends, Graduate Prospects, quarterly.
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