Luminate's monthly summary of the key data and developments in the world of higher education, careers advice, graduate recruitment and the labour market
Ireland retains vast majority of graduates
Ireland's Graduate Outcomes report was published this month, revealing some interesting trends among graduates from Irish universities. Most (78%) had secured employment nine months after graduation, with 90% of these staying in Ireland to work - including 43% in Dublin alone. This particular trend is not unique to Ireland: 58% of UK graduates in 2016/17 went to work in the same region that they studied in.
Graduate Outcomes also provides insight into Irish graduates' qualifications, salaries, the relevance of their area to study to employment, further study, unemployment and perceptions of the quality and relevance of their higher education experience. [HEA]
Graduates entering engineering sector lack diversity
Analysis of all 2016/17 first-degree graduates who secured employment in engineering roles exposes an overwhelming lack of diversity in terms of ethnicity, gender, age-group, disability and socio-economic background. Overall, 82% of 2016/17 graduates who secured employment in engineering were ethnically white, three quarters were male, 77% were aged 21-24 and 55% came from neighbourhoods where high proportions of inhabitants had participated in higher education. [Luminate]
Brexit to cause Erasmus disruption
The government published a technical note explaining how a no-deal Brexit would impact the UK's participation in Erasmus. University students planning to study abroad in the academic year 2019/20 are being warned that funding for these trips is not currently guaranteed. If the UK cannot continue to participate in Erasmus, the government has said it will try to create exchange programmes with individual countries. UK universities have been encouraged to build their own relationships with counterparts overseas. [BBC]
Graduate employers optimistic for 2019 recruitment
At the end of last year, expectations for the graduate labour market in 2019 were not high. Brexit, the economy, higher education reform and the apprenticeship levy all provided cause for concern. Regardless of the pessimistic forecast, a survey by the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) published this month suggests the graduate labour market is in good health with both demand for graduates, and the number of graduates accepting positions, increasing. [Luminate]
Poor white students under-represented at UK universities
Research published this month by the National Education Opportunities Network (neon) reveals the extent to which poor white young people in the UK face are prevented from accessing higher education. This group are the least likely to participate in HE after individuals from Gypsy/Roma backgrounds, and make up the majority in low participation neighbourhoods (LPN) - areas where few people access higher education. Most universities are working to widen participation in higher education, but more needs to be done to ensure that concerted efforts are made in relation to this specific group. [neon]
What do graduates do?
An infographic video highlighting key findings from What do graduates do 2018/19? was published this month. It provides a two-minute snapshot of graduate employment levels, salaries, popular industries and more. [Luminate]
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