More than eight out of 10 students are optimistic about getting a job on graduation, according to the latest study from student accommodation provider Unite.
On average, students expect to earn just over £19,000 in their first job, rising to £29,500 after five years.
More than half (57 per cent) of students, chose to go to university because they believe it will improve their job prospects. Almost nine out of 10 agree that the money they are spending on their education is a good investment in their future.
Employability following graduation does not appear to be a worry for today’s students
- 81 per cent agree that university has set them in good stead for their working lives
- 37 per cent, anticipate starting work straight away in a graduate job
- About a quarter will start to look for a career job when they graduate, while about the same proportion intend to take a temporary job. A fifth intend to go travelling after graduation.
More than two-fifths of students, 42 per cent, have a job and work on average 14.5 hours a week earning about £86:
- Two-thirds report that they work because they need the money for basic essentials
- More than a quarter undertake paid employment to gain extra skills
- A quarter said they worked for the benefits to their CVs.
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Nicholas Porter, CEO of Unite, said this generation of students appeared to appreciate the skills they will require in the workplace and had learned to draw from their experiences of university life to enhance their employability.
“Considering the proportion of students earning money while they study, I’d urge students to look again at the jobs they are undertaking and articulate the skills they are doubtless picking up onto their CVs, from time management and prioritising, to problem solving and communication,” he said.
