Graduate job hopes improving by degrees
Things continue to look up for university graduates, according to newly released figures — especially those in regional and remote areas.
Job prospects for university graduates continue to improve, especially for country students and those with degrees in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, who are most likely to find immediate employment.
Most of those employed — 72.9 per cent — were full-time, up from 71.8 per cent the previous year and 70.9 per cent in 2016, according to the latest national survey on graduate outcomes.
The boost continues the steady improvement in full-time employment rate of graduates in recent years from the low point of 68.1 per cent in 2014 — consistent with the steady improvement in the overall labour market since then.
Before releasing the 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey today to coincide with first-round university offers in NSW and the ACT, Education Minister Dan Tehan said more graduates were putting their skills and training to good use in the workplace.
“In this country, if you have a go, you get a go, and those Australians making the commitment to improve themselves, and improve their job prospects, through higher education should be congratulated,” Mr Tehan said.
According to the survey, 87 per cent of graduates found employment four months after completing their degrees in 2018. Undergraduates from vocational studies had greater success in the labour market immediately upon graduation.
Pharmacy, medicine, rehabilitation and dentistry graduates had the highest rates of full-time employment at 97.2 per cent, 94.9 per cent, 89.3 per cent and 86.8 per cent respectively.
Those with more generalist degrees took longer to gain a foothold in the labour market. The lowest rates of full-time employment last year were in the creative arts (52.2 per cent) and tourism (59.6 per cent).
As was the case in 2017, graduates from regional or remote areas fared better than those from metropolitan areas. Regional/remote graduates’ full-time employment rate was 76.7 per cent compared with 71.8 per cent for metropolitan graduates.
Nicola Dalby, 23, completed her communications degree at Newcastle University nine months ago and can count herself among a rising number of Australian students securing jobs upon graduation.
Ms Dalby, who majored in public relations, secured a position as a communication co-ordinator at the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW just weeks after completing her final lecture.
She thought undertaking a semester in Copenhagen, as well as several internships while studying, had been the key to her success and had given her an edge over other candidates.
“You need that internship background and to get in and apply as quickly as possible,” Ms Dalby said, when asked what advice she would give to future graduates.
“Don’t forget the skills and life experience you have as it’s about being able to market yourself for whatever job you’re going for.”
Salaries for graduates have also edged up slightly. The median full-time salary last year rose 1.7 per cent to $61,000.
Dentistry graduates were the highest paid at $83,700, up from $78,300 the previous year.
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