Published on 01 August 2023
New data this week reveals that 73% of UK graduates credit going to university with enabling them to find the job they wanted.
The latest data fits the University of Sunderland’s strategy of being a student-focused, professions-facing institution.
BBC Radio 1 presenter Jordan North who received an Honorary Fellowship from the University this summer told how going to University can help set you up to be “one step ahead”.
Jordan, who graduated from the University in 2011 with a First-Class degree in Media Production, was presented with the award during the University’s Summer Graduation Ceremonies at the Stadium of Light in July.
He said: “University is great, and you already have one thing going for you – you are one step ahead because you went to the University of Sunderland.
“You may not realise until you have left how good a place it actually is, but it will set you up in good stead.”
The latest data, released by Universities UK (UUK) this week, revealed:
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Research from Universities UK highlights the value of going to university, including that 73% of UK graduates say they found a job reflective of their ambitions in under a year, thanks to their university education
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Crucially, during a cost-of-living-crisis, almost two-thirds (64%) say that going to university has improved their job security
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78% of UK graduates say the support they received at university helped them gain employment, and 97% of business leaders polled also revealed that graduates reach managerial positions faster, as a result of going to university
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71% of business leaders also believe that going to university enables graduates to build crucial transferable skills, framing UK universities as an essential training ground for UK industry, equipping the next generation with the skills to return UK PLC to growth
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The research also suggests that going to university can act as a stimulus to upward social mobility. For 78% of graduates and 71% of business leaders who were the first in their family to attend, going to uni opened doors to companies, and likely led to a higher starting salary than students not first in their family to attend
The research, based on the perspectives of 3,500 UK graduates and 3,500 business leaders (business owners, founders, board members, CEOs, directors, and senior managers) across the UK, also reveals that 79% of graduates say going to university enabled them to build skills that have proved professionally valuable. And, for 76% of UK graduates and 78% of business leaders, going to university helped to build their self-confidence.
Over two thirds of UK graduates (67%) and business leaders (71%) also believe that going to university enables graduates to build vital transferable skills that help them in their career; framing UK universities as an essential training ground for UK industry.
These findings are supported by the insight that over a quarter (28%) of UK graduates first gained employment through a direct connection to their university or degree course, and 77% of business leaders say that going to university opened doors into relevant companies for them. These findings highlight the strength of existing ties between universities and the private sector, and their central role in addressing skills gaps for UK industry.
The research from UUK also outlines the broader impacts of going to university on gaining employment. 73% of graduates say they found their job/ role in under a year. Furthermore, 97% of business leaders say university graduates reach managerial positions faster, as a direct result of going to university.