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A third of all employed graduates are starting their working lives in non-graduate jobs according to research.
The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) survey, called What Do Graduates Do? 2001, claims that 33 per cent of working graduates start in non-graduate jobs to build up a portfolio enabling them to start on a career ladder.
"Graduates in competitive fields, such as the media or design, are having to build up portfolios and CVs in a number of ways including unpaid work experience," said Judith Sefker, chief executive of AGCAS.
The survey also reveals that more graduates are enrolling in vocational courses, which are now perceived by HR departments as worthwhile.
"The HR perception of vocational courses has changed dramatically. They used to be frowned upon, but now HR is realising how valuable they are and keeping a keen eye out for vocational graduates," said Sefker.
By Paul Nelson
