Leeds graduates among the most sought after by UK employers
The latest High Fliers report has ranked Leeds as the 5th most targeted university in the UK by graduate recruiters: up five places on last year's ranking.
The Graduate Market in 2017 – a study of graduate vacancies and starting salaries at the country’s one hundred leading employers – also shows that employers are planning to increase their graduate recruitment by 4.3% in 2017, the fifth consecutive year that graduate opportunities have increased.
Conducted by High Fliers Research in December 2016, the report shows that employers in six out of thirteen major employment areas are preparing to take on more new graduates than in 2016. The biggest growth areas are expected to be in the public sector and in retail.
High Fliers also report that 90% of the UK’s top graduate employers are offering paid work experience programmes for students and recent graduates during 2016/17.
However, even as graduate opportunities increase, competition for them remains fierce. Employers reported that they have received 9% more graduate job applications so far this year compared to last year, and they stress the importance of work experience for applicants.
Head of Student Careers Jane Campbell said: "This is fantastic news, illustrating that students at the University of Leeds have a wealth of opportunities when it comes to finding a job and work experience with Britain’s leading employers.
"The proportion of our graduates achieving high quality job outcomes is amongst the best in the UK (81.4%).
"Our students have access to a tremendous range of opportunities, from study abroad - we send more students abroad than almost any other university in the UK - through work placements and volunteering, to our award-winning work with student business start-ups.
"Employers are engaged in every aspect of our work with students, from their role in advising on curricula to offering placements and jobs."
Posted in: Student education