Skilled graduates fear they won’t get work

A majority of graduates fear they will be unable to secure a job after completing their three-year degrees, despite feeling well equipped for the working-world, new research shows.

Eight out of 10 university graduates thought they had the skills employers needed, but a similar number felt it was harder than ever to find work, research by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU) found.

Jane Artess, Director of Research at HECSU, said: “The graduate labour market continues to be tough and it will not be easy, particularly for those who lack employability skills.”

The research also showed that one in 10 students were worried that the skills they developed on their course had not made them more employable.

Furthermore, 6% admitted of those surveyed admitted that they did not have the know-how that employers wanted.

Artess said: "Students were more likely to believe that they had skills employers were looking for than they were to believe the skills they developed on their course had made them more employable, reflecting a realistic evaluation of the current economic climate.”

Also, researchers found that those surveyed felt increasingly confident about their skills as they progressed through university.

Men rated their skills higher than women, although achievement levels show that this reflects greater confidence rather than higher skills, researchers said.