Nicola Abbott, career development manager at Nottingham Trent University, summarises of what this year's data tells us about outcomes for technology, engineering and maths graduates
The rapid growth in technical and engineering disciplines has intensified competition for graduates in these fields.1 The latest Construction Skills Network report estimates that the UK construction sector will need more than a quarter of a million additional workers by 2028.2 Similarly, the 2024 Hays UK Salary and Recruiting Trends report highlights a significant shortfall in tech talent.3 These trends present strong employment opportunities for graduates with relevant skills.
Destinations
The latest Graduate Outcomes data indicates strong career progression for technology, engineering, and maths (TEM) graduates. TEM graduates were most likely to secure full-time employment, with civil engineering (76.3%) and electrical and electronic engineering graduates (72.3%) leading, both well above the 59.0% average for all graduates. Although maths graduates had a slightly lower fulltime employment rate (58.3%), this is partly due to 11.0% pursuing fulltime further study, compared to the 6.7% average across all subjects.
Types of work
Maths graduates demonstrate diverse career paths, with 13.4% entering education, 12.3% moving into legal and accountancy professions, 13.5% entering the IT and telecoms sector and 25.8% pursuing roles in business and finance. Over 40% of mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering graduates found employment in manufacturing.
Graduates in architecture and building, as well as civil engineering, predominantly worked in construction, engineering, and R&D, with 73.0% and 77.9%, respectively, employed in these sectors. Meanwhile, 39.1% of computer science graduates entered the IT and telecoms sector.
The salary disparity between male and female graduates underscores ongoing issues, including the gender pay gap and workplace biases.
Salaries
Salaries varied significantly among computer science graduates (£24,481 to £39,953) and architecture and building graduates (£23,481 to £32,387). Male maths graduates who had no significant further study since graduation earned on average £33,978 while females earned £32,035. For maths graduates who pursued further study, salaries averaged £35,940 for men and £30,517 for women. The salary disparity between male and female graduates underscores ongoing issues, including the gender pay gap and workplace biases.
Further study
Maths (11.0%) and chemical engineering (7.2%) graduates were most likely to pursue further study, while other TEM subjects had fewer graduates opting for this path compared to the overall average of 6.7%. A Masters degree was the most popular further study choice for TEM graduates (39.4%), though slightly below the overall average of 45.6%. Progression to a Doctorate was higher than the national average of 9.3%, especially in chemical engineering (29.6%), but lower in architecture and building (1.9%) and civil engineering (8.8%). The focus on practical experience and professional qualifications in these fields may reduce the need for these qualifications. Notably, TEM subjects had more graduates pursuing professional qualifications than the 21.2% average, particularly in computer science (36.1%) and architecture and building (34.5%).
The data highlights a robust demand for engineers, technologists, and mathematicians. However, a significant gender disparity persists, with women comprising only 21% of respondents and facing ongoing pay inequities. To address these skills shortages and broaden the talent pool, it is essential to engage groups that are currently underrepresented.
Initiatives such as Women into Science and Engineering (WISE) play a crucial role in inspiring and supporting girls and women to pursue careers in these fields, thus helping to mitigate these gaps and enhance the overall talent pool.
This articles was first published in the 2024/25 edition of What do graduates do?
Notes
- Engineering skills needs - now and into the future, EngineeringUK, 20233.
- Focusing on the skills construction needs, CITB, 2024.
- Hays UK Salary & Recruiting Trends 2024, Hays, 2024.
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