Graduates blame courses for being out of work

New research shows that an estimated 38% of graduates have claimed Job Seekers Allowance.

37% of those have been claiming for more than six months, according to totaljobs.com.

Many believe that higher education has not equipped them for work, 42% saying the course did not give them satisfactory preparation.

43% of the 448 graduates questioned said they would not choose the same course again and 24% said they would not advise A-level students to continue to university.

Mike Fetters, graduate director at totaljobs.com, said: "The reality is that as a country we haven't been very good at creating graduates that are specialised in areas that employers are demanding.

"The only benefit that we can see in the disappointing decision to, in effect, triple university fees is that it may focus the minds of those wishing to go to university on which skills are most in demand."