Source of data

WDGD provides information about the first destinations of first-degree graduates and HND and foundation degree diplomates, profiling how many leavers enter employment (and what type of employment), further study and unemployment six months after graduation.

Young people considering higher education as an option, teachers or advisers with responsibility for careers guidance, or parents concerned about your child’s future prospects, can all find helpful information to inform their decisions within.

This edition profiles the destinations of 2003/2004 leavers. To complement the data, there are articles and an editorial for each subject area where the data is discussed and interpreted.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), a government agency, collects annually national first destination information on higher degree graduates. The information for this report was collected through a questionnaire sent to all UK and EU domiciled students who graduated in the previous year. The results of this ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ (DLHE) survey represent a snapshot of the employment status and types of work of graduates six months after they graduated.

The DLHE survey asks graduates what their current activity is, whether it be work, study, looking for work or even travelling. If employed, it asks for job description and the kind of company the graduate works for so that we can get a comprehensive picture of where graduates are employed, and the kind of work that they are doing.

Since these data present a snapshot survey of graduates shortly after they have received their qualification, it does not tell us what they will be doing further ahead in their careers. The survey does not ask for future career plans, nor does it ask why the respondent chose their course or current career activity and, as a result, cannot be used to answer questions about intent.

In response to requests by students and advisers, we have expanded the range of subjects available in this year's edition to take into account those subjects that have become more popular in recent years. Information on politics, marketing and sports science graduates are now included. Music graduates are now included in a performing arts section that merges with the existing information for drama, and the existing information for design graduates has been combined with data for the popular subject of fine arts, to produce a section for arts and design. Finally, the building category has been renamed 'architecture and building' to reflect the important contribution that architecture graduates make to the data.

In order to make the data more meaningful, we have slightly modified some of our categories for survey responses, and made some small changes to our job categories, merging some of the smaller areas and expanding those sections dealing with graduate professionals to show those in legal occupations and social or welfare occupations seperately.

As a result, there are fewer articles available in this edition, and we welcome feedback about the changes we have made.

…if you are a school pupil or student?

You might be thinking about going to university and may also have an idea of what subject you might like to study, or you may already be at university. By reviewing the information in WDGD, you will get a better understanding of the impact that a degree, foundation degree or HND, and a degree in a particular subject may have on your prospects. Looking at particular subjects, you can find out how many of the graduates secure employment and what jobs they go on to do, which might give you some ideas. You can also find out how graduates from other subjects fare. There is also more general information about how to use your time at university to enhance your prospects and on the state of the job market.

…if you are a teacher or adviser offering careers guidance?

You can use WDGD as a basis for a wide range of guidance work including one-to-one guidance, tutor groups, career sessions for parents and higher education evenings and events.

…if you are a parent?

You can use WDGD to get a better understanding of the graduate labour market so you can help your child prepare for what's ahead. You can also review the subject level information to help your child make the best decision for them.