New Horizons – Responding to the Challenges of the 21st Century
Social Cohesion - Benefits to the wider community of having more graduates
Graduates have:
• More awareness of, and interest in, politics and environmental issues;
• A higher tolerance for racial, sexual and cultural diversity; and
• A greater likelihood to volunteer.
All well and good. But there is a question you may wish to ask yourself
…what’s in it for me?
Some Key Questions
• What jobs are out there for graduates?
• How many graduates now compared to the past?
• What’s the benefit of having a degree?
– Participation effects (having and keeping a job)– Wage premium (earning more)
• What do employers think of graduates?
• What are employers looking for?
• What makes a good job?
What Is A ‘Graduate’ Job?
• Traditional
e.g. solicitors and medical practitioners
• Moderne.g. software professionals, computer programming and journalism
• Newe.g. occupational therapy, management and accountancy
• Nichee.g. leisure and sports managers, hospitality, retail management and nursing
Graduate Labour Market in Scotland
• ‘The graduate debate’• The value of qualifications
• qualifications pay
• ..also helps in finding and sustaining work
• graduates continue to earn more than non-graduates
• the wage premium has been maintained
• education and training makes the difference
The Labour Market of the Future?
• Longer-term view (10 year)• Based on trends (last 20 years)• Key Messages
– Modest jobs growth
– Ageing workforce
– More higher-qualified people
– Growth in higher-skilled occupations
– Replacement demand means
– Opportunities in all sectors
– Opportunities in all occupations
Employer Perception of New Recruits
Scotland 2006
61%75% 81%
-34%-21%
-13%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
School leavers FE College leavers HE graduates
Well prepared Poorly prepared
Recruitment and employer expectations
• Most employers understood the nature of HE provision
• Are usually recruited onto specialist training schemes or positions where a degree is required
• No quality issues in terms of graduates recruited
• Some quantity issues – nature of job/organisation
• Higher expectations of graduate recruits
• Formal training provided, including specific graduate trainee programmes
• ..key expectations
– progress at faster pace
– need less support
– innovate and
– take on more responsibility
What do we mean by ‘well-prepared’?
• What does ‘well-prepared’ mean to employers?– Good technical/job-related skills
– Good communication skills
– Strong work ethic
• Work-preparedness affects– The strength of the contribution that the recruit can make
– The time taken from recruitment to making this positive contribution
What Makes a Good Job..
• The ’average’ response (Work Skills in Scotland – all workers)– work that you like doing– a secure job– good pay– friendly people to work with– good relationship with supervisor or manager– the opportunity to use your abilities– a job where you can use your initiative
• Personal preferences– What interests you? What skills and abilities do you have?
– What’s important to you? Where can you seek career advice?
– …the role of Lifelong Learning and Career Planning?