When hiring, employers tend to value a graduate’s skills, the subject they studied, and vocational experience gained during their degree ahead of grades achieved or whether the graduate studied at a particular university, according to a new survey conducted by CBI Economics.
Commissioned by University Alliance, CBI Economics conducted a survey of 252 UK employers across all business sectors, sizes and regions. The research establishes what employers look for when hiring graduates and the importance they place on different skills, qualifications and experiences.
It is hoped that this report will help young people feel confident that their choices will support their future careers.
Key findings from the report:
- The most important factors in determining graduate success on the jobs market are:
- Enthusiasm for the role they apply for (important to 68% of employers)
- Transferrable skills such as communication (important to 55% of employers)
- Relevance of the subject studied (important to 52% of employers)
- Whether they have gained vocational experience during their degree (important to 42% of employers).
- The least important factors to employers are:
- Which university graduates have studied at (important to 8% of employers)
- Specific projects completed during their degree (important to 4% of employers).
- Graduates with degrees that include vocational experience as part of their course (such as internships, placement years or employer-informed projects at university) were deemed to have substantially better performance throughout the recruitment process. 85% of employers believed vocational experience enhanced performance at interview.
- Where there were preferences for university type, employers favoured graduates from universities with specialisms in relevant subject areas and universities that specialise in vocational degrees, such as professional and technical universities, 42% of employers saying it was somewhat or very important to them if a candidate had attended a professional and technical university.
Respondents included graduate employers across a range of industries, from advanced manufacturing to the public sector. They were asked about what factors they considered most important when hiring graduates, both overall and at specific stages of the application and interview process.
The report, titled ‘To what degree: Understanding what UK businesses look for in graduates’ also asked employers to describe the extent to which they collaborated with universities to design course and curriculum, to set coursework and projects for students, deliver scholarships or specific workshops and seminars in certain areas. 27% of employers contribute to university course content, material and delivery. The study found strong appetite amongst employers for even more collaboration.
Rt Hon Professor the Lord Blunkett, Former Education and Employment Secretary, said:
“This report by CBI Economics is a timely one, providing valuable insights into the evolving priorities of employers. The findings underline how employers value the importance of practical skills and relevant work experience that graduates may undertake as part of their university degree, and how, in the eyes of employers, that gives them the edge in the contemporary job market.
I very much hope this report ignites a conversation about how we value different kinds of higher education institutions within a broader skills ecosystem and how we factor them into a national skills strategy.”
Louise Hellem, Chief Economist, CBI, said:
“To deliver economic growth across the UK, employers need access to a workforce with the right skills. When making decisions to invest in their future, university applicants are keen to choose degrees that will benefit their future careers. We hope the insights in this study will help applicants make informed decisions that enable them to develop the skills our economy needs.
Employers clearly value vocational experience as part of professional university degrees, and I am pleased that over a quarter of employers who responded to this survey are involved in shaping degree courses. It is this kind of collaboration that will help deliver the workforce we need to boost our economy and drive growth. There is evidently scope for further joint working, and we hope that this study will further promote the benefits of university-business collaboration at a local and national level.”
Gaby Pearson, Marketing Management graduate from the University of Brighton, said:
“Getting a job after uni is definitely something that students and anyone considering doing a degree will worry about. It’s sometimes hard to know exactly what employers will be looking for and what the right choice is for your career.
I know people can get really hung up on going to a specific uni, or getting specific grades, and this report hopefully reduces some of that pressure by showing what really matters to employers.
My course, marketing management, is the sort of degree that some people don’t really understand the importance of. It was a great degree though because it was really vocational, I was working directly with employers almost from day one and it’s professionally accredited. Just a couple of months after finishing my studies I am managing marketing projects professionally. I hope this report will help people understand how important degrees like mine are.”
Professor Jane Harrington, Vice Chancellor of the University of Greenwich and Chair of University Alliance said:
“University Alliance research has shown that almost 70% of university applicants feel anxious or very anxious about making the ‘right’ university and course choice for their future careers, and that they are not sure about how to determine what that is.
I hope the data in this report goes some way towards helping them make informed decisions, but also to reassure them that employers take a holistic view of graduate applicants and that their career won’t be made or broken based on university choice or grades.
I’m pleased that the work of professional and technical universities such as the University of Greenwich to embed employers in university degrees is recognised. Wider public understanding of the range of vocational options at university level would clearly be beneficial to both applicants and employers.”
Vanessa Wilson CEO of University Alliance said:
“University graduates progress faster and earn more over the course of their careers than those without a degree. Despite this, we know applicants often feel anxious about making the right choice for their future careers.
This report sheds important light on what businesses value when hiring graduates. As the body that represents professional and technical universities, we are proud that employers recognise the value of vocational degrees.
The most important thing is that students are enthusiastic about the subject and career they choose, and that they are able to communicate about that in a clear and engaging way.
I hope that students receiving exam grades this week will feel confident in making the right choices for them, and I wish them all the very best of luck.”
About CBI Economics
CBI Economics is the economic consultancy division of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), delivering bespoke research and analysis for public and private sector organisations on a commercial basis. With rich experience in analysis ranging from economic modelling and forecasting to business surveys and policy development, CBI Economics empower businesses to fill evidence gaps, build business cases, influence policy and inform decision-making. CBI Economics’ unique blend of political awareness, business insight and economics expertise gives them a deep specialism in producing analysis that resonates and engages with government.
About University Alliance
University Alliance (UA) represents leading professional and technical universities across the UK. Our members specialise in working with industry and employers. Our members are leading the way in innovation and business support in the green, tech, creative and healthcare industries. They are leading providers of teaching in healthcare, the creative industries, social sciences, engineering, business and computing. They are some of the biggest degree apprenticeship providers in the UK. We come together as the University Alliance group to benefit our member universities and their communities, and to provide expertise to policy makers.
