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Graduate jobs 'at risk' due to public sector cuts

Published: Friday, 02 July 2010   Category: Graduate Job sector Reports

Graduate unemployment could soar as a result of budget cuts in the public sector, it was suggested today (July 2nd).

The Higher Education Career Services Unit (HECSU) noted that a higher proportion of public sector workers are educated to degree level than in the private sector.

Charlie Ball, deputy research director at HECSU, explained that, as a result, chancellor George Osborne's cuts could have a "disproportionate effect on graduates".

Indeed, he claimed that even if only a fifth of the 39,000 public sector graduate jobs were slashed, it could double unemployment for that intake to close to 25 per cent.

"It would not take much of a shock to the graduate jobs market to make the next few years some of the toughest ever experienced," said Mr Ball.

"The impact of the proposed cuts could be sufficient to have a profound effect on the labour market for new graduates, and particularly on those outside London."

Earlier this week, High Fliers released details of a study which found that there are now about 45 applicants for every graduate job vacancy.