Compelling new data released today by Universities UK (UUK) reveals that 71% of graduates in the North West of England credit going to university with enabling them to find the job they wanted. And, in an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, 64% say that going to university has improved their job security, while 76% say the support they received at university helped them gain employment.


The research, based on the perspectives of 3,500 UK graduates and 3,500 business leaders (business owners, founders, board members, CEOs, directors and senior managers) across the UK, also reveals that 77% of graduates in the North West say going to university enabled them to build skills that have proved professionally valuable. And, for 74% graduates and 83% of business leaders in the North West, going to university helped to build their self-confidence.

Just under two thirds of graduates (65%) and three quarters of business leaders (75%) in the North West also believe that going to university enables graduates to build vital transferable skills that help them in their career; framing UK universities as an essential training ground for UK industry.

These findings are supported by the insight that 25% of graduates in the North West first gained employment through a direct connection to their university or degree course, and 84% of business leaders in the North West say that going to university opened doors into relevant companies for them. These findings highlight the strength of existing ties between universities and the private sector, and their central role in addressing skills gaps for UK industry.

The research from UUK also outlines the broader impacts of going to university on gaining employment in the North West of England. 71% of graduates in the North West say they found their job/ role in under a year. Furthermore, 99% of business leaders in the North West say university graduates reach managerial positions faster, as a direct result of going to university.



Impact on social mobility:

Interestingly, at a national level the research also looked in particular at UK graduates and business leaders who were the first in their family to go to university. Of these, 78% of graduates and 71% of business leaders said that going to university opened doors into companies for them. Meanwhile, 73% of business leaders believe that going to university introduces graduates to peers who can help them build their careers, and 77% of graduates said a degree helped them build skills that have been professionally valuable.

The research also suggests that going to university can act as a stimulus to upward social mobility amongst families with no prior history of going to university. Those who were the first in their family to go to university had a slightly higher average starting salary than those who were not the first to attend; £30,111 versus £27,754 - findings that are compounded by a report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies on behalf of the Department of Education, which found that university graduates who were eligible for free school meals are more likely to enter the top 20% of earnings at age 30 than free school meal students who did not attend university. Nearly 60% of business leaders who were the first in their family to go to university said that going to university helped them become senior faster, while 51% said it helped them fast track their career.

Findings from our data and wider evidence show the role of universities as equalisers across the UK jobs market; enabling all graduates to unlock career opportunities – not just those with strong family connections or a history of higher education.