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25% of engineering graduates in non-graduate positions

Almost a quarter of engineering graduates in the UK are working in non-graduate positions or unskilled work according to the BBC.

This news will come as a surprise to many, as engineers and industry leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of good quality science and engineering graduates.

The report by Birmingham University analyzed figures from 1986 to 2009, on the proportions of engineering students entering degree related jobs, or whor not requiring a degree.

The study found that less than half of 2009 engineering graduates entered related jobs six months after leaving university, while a fifth were in roles not directly related to their degree.

The report said: “Perhaps, because of recent initiatives, there seem to be to many people studying science for the labour market to cope with, or perhaps graduates are no longer of a sufficient quality.”

The report also shows that attempts to encourage more people to study science, technology, engineering and maths have proved unsuccessful.

The CBI’s director for education and skills policy, Susan Anderson, said: “The latest CBI survey shows that the shortage of science, technology, engineering and maths graduates is an issue for businesses, but companies also raised questions about the quality of Stem graduates coming through, many of whom were lacking in practical workplace experience or employability skills.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .