Technology

Posted on July 22, 2016 by staff

Computer science graduates top jobless rankings

Technology

Computer science graduates are continuing to top the higher education unemployment rankings – but the situation is improving.

New statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that ten per cent failed to find a job six months after graduation in the academic year 2014/2015.

In contrast, fewer than one per cent of medicine and dentistry graduates were unemployed.

However the ten per cent figure was down from 11.3 per cent in 2013/14 and 14 per cent in 2011/12.

In 2008/09 it was as high as 18 per cent, although the country was in recession.

Graduates of mass communications and documentation; physical sciences and engineering; and technology were next highest on the list with 7.7 per cent unemployed.

The tech sector is growing rapidly while there are digital jobs in the majority of businesses these days.

However there are fears that universities are not equipping students with the cutting-edge skills needed in the workplace as tech evolves rapidly.

There have been calls for more partnerships between education and industry to get Computer Science and similar grads in for work placements to make their learning relevant.

Jon Corner, CEO at The Landing in Salford Quays, is one figure seeking to fill the oft-cited skills gap with initiatives.

A report by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills in May estimated that there will be an additional 518,000 digital jobs by 2022.