Key issues viz graduate skills and jobs What do graduates do? What skills and knowledge are required in their work and how do these relate to the skills and knowledge developed on undergraduate courses? How has the expansion of HE impacted upon the occupational structure and the construction of jobs by employers?

Distribution of sample according to new graduate labour market classification

Graduate Job Class according to 1995 Degree Subject

Knowledge workers in the Information Age Technical experts Hybrid skills (project managers) New persuaders Carers with credentials/Interpersonal service providers

MODERN GRADUATE – Technical Expert Software Engineer, small ICT start-up Salary: £50,000 - £59,999 Degree: Computer Science, 2:2, New University Provision of ICT support/solutions, systems testing/development/documentation Interview 16, male aged 28

MODERN GRADUATE - New Persuader Client Manager, small management consultancy Salary: £60,000 and over Modern Languages, Old University Interactive/interpersonal skills, Time & Task management, consultant resourcing Interview 11, female, aged 28

MODERN GRADUATE - New Persuader “Why do you think you were taken on?” “I had a consulting background that was essential for the job and I think I had the right sort of interpersonal skills to deal with both clients and senior consultants despite my comparatively young age” (Interview 11 - Client Manager, small management consultancy)

MODERN GRADUATE – Hybrid Skills Systems Designer, large management & IT consultancy Salary: £36,000 - £39,999 Distributed Information Systems, New University Client-facing project management, systems design/programming/development, client presentations/workshops Interview 2, female, aged 28

MODERN GRADUATE – Hybrid Skills “Why do you think you were taken on?” “Probably to them because I come from a technical background but I have client facing skills. So it’s not just a tech-y person… most tech-y people, well not most but a lot of tech-y people have problems dealing with clients and face-to-face meetings and presenting and things like that, so they were looking for a mix of, if you like, business skills mixed with technical skills” (Interview 2 – Systems Designer - Large IT Company)

MODERN GRADUATE - Interpersonal Service Worker Arts Education Administrator, National Arts Organisation Salary: £15,000-£17,999 Classics, 2:2, Old University General PA work, events administration and organisation, contracting staff Interview 018, female aged 29

NEW GRADUATE – Technical Expert Unit Manager, large manufacturing company Salary: £30,000 - £32,999 Degree: Electrical & Electronic Engineering, 2:1, Old University Production systems management, emphasis on technical/engineering knowledge & problem-solving, budgetary controls, staff management Interview 23, male aged 29

NEW GRADUATE - New Persuader Recruitment Consultant, Resourcing and Business Consultancy Salary: £40,000 - £49,999 Psychology, 2:1, 1960s University Client interface, candidate search, interviewing and recommendation, pitching for business - presentations, cold-calling... Interview 51,male aged 32

NEW GRADUATE – Hybrid Skills Interview 36 Commercial Manager, small publishing company Salary: £60,000 and over Business Information Systems, 2:2, New University Negotiation/tendering/sales activities, interface between production & customer

NEW GRADUATE - Interpersonal Service Worker Interview 12 Welfare Advice Worker, Charity - Community project Salary: Less than £9,999 (p/t) History/Social Science, 2:2, HE College Provision of support/advice on range of welfare issues, interviewing, home visits...

NEW GRADUATE -Interpersonal Service Worker “I'm the more approachable person out in the community. I've been there for years, so they know me. They come into see me for welfare benefits advice, debt advice, education problems. A listening ear, because I'm there. If they feel they should have received the benefits, I then take it further for them, that sort of thing.” (Interview 12 - Welfare Advice Worker, Charity - Community project)

Respondents’ use of skills in current job

A comparison of skills required ‘a lot’ in current job and developed ‘a lot’ on 1995 course

Use of computers in current job

Proportion of respondents satisfied with key aspects of current job

Implications The graduate labour market is segmented, but there are distinct categories of ‘graduate job’ one of which, after seven years, most graduates have entered. The subjective perceptions of the majority of graduates is that they are in appropriate employment for people with their skills and qualifications.