Impact of careers education on graduate success

Results show that participating in credit-bearing careers education has a positive effect on graduates' destination outcomes, with final-year students feeling reassured that the module prepares them for graduation

Key findings

• Taking a careers module increases the likelihood of graduate success.
• Those who completed a level 2 careers module felt more prepared to graduate.
• Odds of a positive outcome after graduation were 21.9 percentage points higher if a graduate undertook a careers module at the University of Dundee.
• Odds of employment (as opposed to unemployment) were 37.2 percentage points higher after taking a careers module.
• Odds of finding graduate-level employment were 40.1 percentage points higher if a career module was undertaken.
• The module had greater impact on graduates with a 2.1 or 2.2 compared with graduates with a first class honours.
• 72.7% of graduates who took a careers module had a clear plan for after graduation.
• 37% of graduates who did not take a careers module felt less well prepared to secure their career plans, compared with 3% who took a careers module.

What's inside

This report analyses the value of credit-bearing careers education and how it affects students' preparation for graduation.

The report then outlines plans for further research to investigate the dynamics of students who completed a credit-bearing careers module to develop a greater understanding of the impact of careers education.

About the report

This report, funded by HECSU, aims to provide a greater understanding of how credit bearing careers education impacts graduate destinations (as defined by HESA and DLHE) six months after graduation. A specific focus is placed on degrees that are often non-vocational. The research was conducted and reported by Ruth O'Riordan, Dr Elena del Rio and Jakub Wieczorek at the University of Dundee.