Graduate starting salaries and the number of jobs available
to them have increased over the last year according to a new research.
A study by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (CSU) reveals
that university leavers were offered an average of £17,786 in the year to May
2001, an increase of 2.5 per cent on the previous 12 months.
The highest average starting salary was in Scotland at
£19,668, a 17 per cent increase over the year before.
The CSU attributed the large increase to the influence of
Scotland’s high-technology sector.
The Graduate Market Trends Salary and Vacancy Survey shows
that the number of graduate jobs increased by 23 per cent over the same period.
Finance, IT and engineering continued to need the largest
share of degree holders, offering 60 per cent of new posts, the engineering
sector absorbed 11 per cent of graduates and computer consultancies, 10 per cent.
By Ben Willmott. Click
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