UK Students choose higher education in the hopes of making walking into a job straight after university easier. However, it’s no secret that in today’s economic climate that this is far from the case and graduates face a very tough job market, with recent figures revealing that youth unemployment has increased by a further 15,000 to reach 973,000.
Despite students having a degree under their belt, it’s just not enough in today’s very competitive graduate market. Many students are dedicating endless hours of hob hunting and writing applications, for it only to get thrown back in their face being told that they don’t have enough experience. And when they try to get experience they are not experienced enough for that job role either, leading to one big viscous circle.
Even those few that are successful in getting a job straight after university are struggling financially, as a result of graduate salaries being lower than they should be, due to the tough competition for a grad position.
With the UK job market looking so unappealing, figures have shown that more and more graduates are making the bold decision of booking their international moving companies and jetting off with greater job opportunities available abroad. In 2012, according to the Telegraph, there was a 27 per cent increase in the number of British graduates who found their first job abroad.
What’s more, figures have shown that graduates from some of the UK’s best universities, such as Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and Exeter are significantly more likely to be tempted to move abroad for a better lifestyle and more graduate job opportunities – with mainland Europe being particularly popular followed by the Far East and America.
Alternatively, a lot of graduates are giving up on the idea of getting a career straight after university, and are instead boarding a plane to enjoy travelling around the world. Every year thousands of Brits are jetting off to English speaking countries like New Zealand and Australia with a job in a beach bar or fruit picking in foreign locales looking more attractive than a low-entry job in gloomy Britain.
So with more of Britain’s most talented younger generation moving abroad, what does this mean for Britain? There has been worry that with fewer fully qualified and talented graduates seeking jobs in the UK, it will damage British business and global competitiveness. However, more graduates moving abroad also has its benefits and could actually help to boost Britain’s economy:
Going abroad and seeing new parts of the world will give graduates new life skills and experiences. And when they return to Britain (which a large percentage of British expats do due to reasons such as home sickness or culture differences) they will be able to bring even more to British businesses helping to improve Britain’s still struggling economy. Graduates may also build some great connections and relationships during their time abroad, which can be a great business advantage for UK businesses, especially if they are trying to expand in to different markets.
Furthermore, if the trend of graduates moving abroad continues the way it is, then it could have a positive effect in terms of opening up the UK job market again. With more graduates leaving the country, competition will not be as tough as it currently is for future graduates.
So, even though UK’s graduates are being tempted to move away for a better job opportunities and a sunnier lifestyle, it is evident that it does have its benefits – not only for the graduates but also for Britain’s unstable economy.