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One in ten graduates 'failing to secure a job'

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

Ten per cent of Britons who graduated in 2009 were unable to land a full-time job, new research has claimed.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency revealed that the jobless rate among the Class of 2009 was two per cent higher than 12 months earlier and the largest for seven years.

In addition, the study of 205,000 graduates showed that 59 per cent managed to find employment within six months of leaving university, down from 62 per cent in 2008.

Responding to the findings, the National Union of Students (NUS) said that now is a "particularly tough time for graduates looking to get themselves on the career ladder".

"University leavers will be the engines of economic recovery in the UK," NUS president Aaron Porter told BBC News.

"The government must ensure that it invests in the creation of suitable jobs and secures access to employment opportunities to best utilise the vast pool of skills and knowledge emerging from our colleges and universities."

On a more positive note, Friends Provident noted recently that there will be nine million graduates in UK workplaces by 2020, representing a 50 per cent rise from current levels.