Britain Has Too Many Graduates, and Not Enough Graduate Jobs

With student numbers at record levels, a new report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has shown that the number of graduates working in jobs that don't require a degree has reached "saturation point".

This 'over-qualification' and skills mismatch means that many graduates are entering the world of work carrying unnecessary debt, with just under 60% of UK graduates working in jobs that don't require their degree. In comparison, Germany has only 10% of it's graduates in non-graduate employment.

This growing trend in the UK can be attributed to the rise in graduate numbers outstripping the number of highly skilled jobs becoming available. While this is a trend across most of Europe, it is "particularly pronounced in the UK".

The report also suggests that an increase in apprenticeship schemes could combat this trend, with CIPD chief executive Peter Cheese saying that, "Efforts need to be redoubled to ensure young people who are making choices after receiving their GCSE and A-level results can access good quality careers information, advice and guidance so they can make better informed decisions".

"Our report highlights why young people should think carefully about opting for university when, for example, going into an apprenticeship at 16 or 18 could be a much better choice."

Image courtesy of Flickr, Creative Commons.