Graduate employment opportunities increase
A recent study outlines the position of 2014 graduates nine months after graduating.
A recent study by the Higher Education Authority has found that employment opportunities for graduates of Irish universities continued to improve in 2014. The study provides insights into the destination of Irish degree, postgraduate, masters and doctorate graduates nine months after graduation.
The report looks at how 2014 graduates have fared in relation to employment and further education. The results show that 65 per cent of all graduates were in employment; 53 per cent of graduates were employed in Ireland and 12 per cent overseas. 7 per cent of all graduates were seeking employment.
53 per cent of honour bachelor degree graduates said their qualification was relevant to their area of employment. Higher and postgraduate graduates were more likely than honour degree graduates to describe their qualification as relevant to their employment, with 73 per cent doing so.
Employment rates are increasing for honours bachelor degree graduates with 58 per cent of the class of 2014 in employment compared with 51 per cent in 2013 and 45 per cent in 2009. 35 per cent of graduates are taking part in further education or training, compared to 40 per cent in 2013. The majority (82 per cent) of those employed are working in Ireland. As a result of increased employment in Ireland, one in ten graduates are going overseas for work. This compares to 12 per cent on the previous year. The UK is the most popular destination for graduates who were employed overseas.
Graduates seeking employment decreased by one percentage point between 2013 (6 per cent) and 2014 (5 per cent). The proportions of males and females in each first destination category were similar. In terms of field of study, education graduates had the highest level of employment. Computer science and ICT had the highest proportion of graduates employed in Ireland at 66 per cent. The report found that Dublin remains the region with the most employment opportunities for graduates, followed by the South-West region.
The study also showed that as education increases, so too does salary, with 51 per cent of honours bachelor degree graduates earning €25,000 or more. This is an increase on 2013 at 48 per cent. Similarly, a higher proportion (49 per cent) are earning between €25,000 and €45,000 in contrast to 45 per cent in 2013.
Salaries also increased for postgraduates, masters and doctoral qualifications. 91 per cent of doctoral graduates were earning over €25,000 a year with 31 per cent earning over €45,000.
