UCU warns government not to misrepresent graduate employment 'benefits'

The figures revealed unemployment amongst graduates was slightly higher than the national average and graduate salaries were considerably lower than the national average.

The graduate destination statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) revealed that the proportion of UK full-time first degree graduates in 2006-2007 who were in employment around six months after graduation was 64% - the same as the previous year. 6% were assumed to be unemployed, a figure slightly higher than the national average*.

The median salary for the graduates was around £19,000 (up from £18,000 on the previous year) and the mean salary was £20,000 (up from £19,500 the previous year). According to the 2007 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), the median average salary in the UK was £19,943 and the mean was £24,908.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We sincerely hope that employment rates for graduates have not stalled at a time when the government is encouraging greater numbers of young people into higher education. The benefits of a university education are vast and should not be focused purely on any economic benefits.

'With the top-up fees review due next year, we hope the government will avoid making the kind of outlandish claims about graduate benefits that it did when arguing in favour of top-up fees. These figures show that students, or potential students, who believe a degree is a guaranteed passport to riches are in for a shock, especially with record levels of debt to contend with on graduation.

'UCU is particularly concerned about the health of computer science: 10% of computer science graduates were unemployed six months after graduation, and the numbers of students applying by March 2008 to study computer science degrees in 2008 is 13% lower than in 2007.'

The union also advised that the figures should be treated with caution, since the destinations of nearly a quarter of graduates were unknown and only half of those who reported being in full-time paid employment disclosed their salary.

* The unemployment rate for all aged 16-59/64 at Jan-Mar 2008 was 5.3% in the United Kingdom

• Destinations of leavers from higher education in the United Kingdom for the academic year 2006/07, HESA