Comprehensive advice and guidance on the options and opportunities open to students nearing graduation is being made available online today, Universities Secretary John Denham has announced
24 May 2009
A brochure, supported by the National Union of Students (NUS), will be sent to all graduating students over the next couple of weeks and brings together the range of options available to new graduates after they leave university.
The information highlights support and services available to graduates including how to set up a new business or learn about employment rights.
Key topics are:
- finding a job in the UK
- options for working abroad
- work experience and internships including the ‘Graduate Talent Pool’
- further study including around 14,000 additional postgraduate places - supported by 30,000 extra Career Development Loans next year
- teaching options including 500 teach first opportunities in 2009, up 130 from 2008
- teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL)
- volunteering both at home and abroad
- 250 short term placements through Mini Knowledge Transfer partnerships, rising to 500 in 2010/11
John Denham said:
“Graduating from university is an exciting time but it can also be daunting as people consider their next steps in life after their degree. In the current economic climate it’s natural that students are considering their options even more closely, and that’s why we want to provide as much information as possible about the opportunities available to students including work, internships, further study or volunteering.
“Getting a degree remains one of the best pathways to a long and rewarding career graduates will be well placed to take advantage of the benefits future economic growth will bring.”
The experience of university itself can also be invaluable in the search for a new job, as graduates leave their courses with a well-rounded set of skills that they have gained through clubs and societies as well as volunteering and work placements.
These are skills that are much sought-after in a competitive job market and which can give graduates the edge over other candidates.
NUS Vice President for Higher Education, Aaron Porter, said:
"NUS welcomes the opportunity to work with DIUS to help students prepare for life after graduation. In these testing economic times, it is more important than ever to ensure that students leaving university are supported and given advice on how to take advantage of the opportunities that are available."
University careers services offer a wealth of support and should always be the first place that a graduate turns to when searching for their first job. However there are more options available than ever before.
In April the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) launched a ‘Graduate Talent Pool’ to match employers with suitable graduates. The aim is for the ‘Graduate Talent Pool’ to support 5,000 internships, building on the 2,000 already achieved through HEFCE’s Economic Challenge Investment Fund.
Notes to Editors:
- The brochure will be available at http://www.direct.gov.uk/graduates
- The Graduate Talent Pool prospectus can be viewed online at http://www.dius.gov.uk/graduatetalentpool
- The Graduate Talent Pool does not seek to replace existing schemes offered by businesses. We expect the Talent Pool will offer internships in both private, public and voluntary sectors and that most employers will want to offer a wage which recognises the balance between the benefits a graduate brings and the skills and experiences they require.
- Last month John Denham announced that graduates already claiming Job Seekers Allowance for six months or more will be able to do an internship for up to 13 weeks alongside claiming an Allowance and looking for work. It will mean that unpaid internships will be open to graduates irrespective of whether they themselves or their families can support them.
- Graduates are less likely to be unemployed than others (3.3 per cent compared to 8.1 per cent) and the Association of Graduate Recruiters has predicted growth in employment in the public sector (3 per cent), FMCG (12.9 per cent) and law firms (2 per cent).
- The Association of Graduate Recruiters suggests that there will be a 5.4 per cent decrease in opportunities for new graduates in 2009 compared to 2008 levels. If job losses increase at the same rate as in 2008 or accelerate twice as fast we might expect between 6,500 and 21,000 more new first degree graduates unable to find work than in 2008.
- Mini-knowledge transfers are 10 to 40 week placements in SMEs for graduates and post-graduates, working on specific projects vital to businesses.
- Professional Career Development Loans (CDL) can help to pay for up to two years of learning or up to three years if the course includes one year's relevant practical work experience. The Government will have increased the number of CDL from 15,000 to 45,000 by 2010/11.
- Post-graduate study offers the opportunity to gain skills and obtain the qualifications needed for specific careers or simply help individuals stand out in the job market. Estimates based on evidence from universities and PGCE trends suggest around 6,000 additional and 8,000 part-time places will be available to graduates in 2009/10.
- V is an organisation that makes it easier for young people aged 16-25 to find volunteering opportunities that will help their local community while giving them much needed experience. For more information visit: http://www.vinspired.com.
