This year's What do graduates do? is the essential deep dive into the outcomes of students who left university as lockdown restrictions were lifted. It includes subject-by-subject data, expert analysis by careers and employment professionals, and insight into topics such as AI, hybrid working and student engagement
Graduates shows resilience
This edition of What do graduates do? highlights the remarkable resilience of UK graduates during and in the aftermath of the pandemic, as their outcomes ranked among the best in the brief history of the Graduate Outcomes survey. Of the 206,795 UK-domiciled first-degree graduates who responded to the survey:
- The majority of graduates (59.6%) were in full-time work 15 months after graduating, while 10.4% were in part-time employment.
- Of those graduates in work, 76% were in professional-level employment - a higher proportion than among those who left university the year before.
- 8.4% of graduates in work were self-employed or actively working towards this goal.
- 7.8% of graduates were engaged in further study, while 10.5% were both working and studying.
- Despite the difficult environment into which they graduated, just 5.0% were unemployed, and this includes some who were due to start work.
What's inside What do graduates do? 2023/24
The full report includes a summary of graduate outcomes in the regions and nations of the UK, Charlie Ball's labour market overview, and detailed analysis and data in the following subject areas:
- Business and administrative studies
- Creative arts
- Humanities
- Science
- Social sciences
- Technology, engineering and maths
In addition, the following expert insights add context and analysis, and discuss some of the ongoing challenges for the sector highlighted by the data:
- Can AI transform careers services?
- How will AI affect the early careers recruitment process?
- The impact of hybrid working on graduate careers
- Measuring student engagement with careers services
- Has graduate recruitment returned to 'normal'?
About What do graduates do? 2023/24
What do graduates do? 2023/24 was published in October 2023 on Prospects Luminate. It examines first-degree graduate destinations 15 months after graduation. It was produced by Prospects in collaboration with AGCAS, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services.
The data is from the most recent edition of the Higher Education Statistics Agency's (HESA) Graduate Outcomes survey, which collected responses from those who graduated in 2020/21.
Prospects and HESA are part of Jisc.
Previous editions of What do graduates do?
- What do graduates do? 2023 (PDF, 3.8MB)
- What do graduates do? 2021/22 (PDF, 15.04MB)
- What do graduates do? 2020/21 (PDF, 8.38MB)
- What do graduates do? 2018/19 (PDF, 4.6MB)
- What do graduates do? 2017/18 (PDF, 2.9MB)
- What do graduates do? 2016 (PDF, 2.1MB)
- What do graduates do? 2015 (PDF, 1.5MB)
- What do graduates do? 2014 (PDF, 11.9MB)
- What do graduates do? 2013 (PDF, 4.9MB)
What do graduates do? Scotland
Published in April 2024, What do graduates do? Scotland is Charlie Ball's comprehensive report on the Scottish labour market and outcomes for graduates from its universities, including a detailed analysis of the country's cities and regions.
Regional edition
In 2019/20 What do graduates do? Regional edition studied graduate destinations on a region-by-region basis, with data, analysis and commentary for every part of the UK.
Testimonials for What do graduates do?
As a careers adviser and information specialist with 30 years' experience, I cannot rate What do graduates do? highly enough. It forms an essential part of my toolkit.
- Hilary Nickell, project manager at Career Companion.
With over 300,000 students graduating from a vast array of courses and institutions every year, the UK graduate market is complex. WDGD is a key resource to help employers build their student recruitment strategies.
- Stephen Isherwood, chief executive of the Institute of Student Employers (ISE).
What do graduates do? provides a concise and informative overview of UK graduate destinations by subject area and is an invaluable resource for supporting both learners thinking about progressing on to higher education as well as undergraduate students planning their next steps.
- Andrew Jones, deputy director and IAG specialist at Linking London.
What do graduates do? is an essential resource for higher education providers and employers. Heavily influencing aspects of our work, the publication not only informs best practice through the student pathway but also on attracting and supporting students from diverse background.
- Terry Manyeh, Educating ALL project lead.
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