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Figures for Prospects.ac.uk

March 2010:

ABCE audited figures

Unique Browsers:

1,167,672

Page Impressions:

5,828,244

(Note: ABCE are now using the term Unique Browsers instead of Unique Users)

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What do graduates do - North East (Spring 08)

After a period of decline, the population of the region has recently begun to grow again. Important employment sectors in the region include manufacturing, construction, retail and the public sector.

3.8% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2005/6 who were employed in the UK six months after graduating, were working in the North East of England.

Numbers working in the region have risen from 5,380 in 2003/4 to 5,610 in 2005/6. The proportion in non-graduate employment fell year-on-year from 40.1% to 37.4% (see Table 1). Using the graduate job classifications (SOC (HE)) derived by Elias and Purcell for the ‘Researching Graduate Careers Seven Years On’ project , there was a steady increase in those in new graduate occupations over the same period, whilst other categories also saw an overall rise.

Table 1. Graduate employment categories for graduates working in the North East six months after graduating from 2003/4 to 2005/6
2003/42004/52005/6
Traditional graduate occupations12.6%11.9%12.3%
Modern graduate occupations10.8%10.6%11.2%
New graduate occupations13.3%14.3%14.9%
Niche graduate occupations23.2%24.2%24.1%
Non-graduate occupations40.1%39.0%37.4%

Examining the data in more detail, it can be seen that the health professions are the most important area of employment in the region, primarily nurses and junior doctors (see Table 2). Other common occupations for graduates from 2005/6 were teaching, childcare, general office work, retail management and advertising and marketing.

Table 2. Types of work for UK-domiciled graduates working in the North East six months after graduating from 2003/4 to 2005/6
2003/42004/52005/6
Marketing, Sales and Advertising Professionals2.7%3.3%3.0%
Commercial, Industrial and Public Sector Managers9.0%8.6%8.9%
Scientific Research, Analysis & Development Professionals0.9%1.0%0.9%
Engineering Professionals2.5%3.3%3.1%
Health Professionals and Associate Professionals16.0%16.3%16.0%
Education Professionals7.4%7.4%7.0%
Business and Financial Professionals and Associate Professionals5.7%5.3%5.9%
Information Technology Professionals3.8%3.4%3.0%
Arts, Design, Culture and Sports Professionals3.2%4.5%3.6%
Legal Professionals1.2%1.0%1.4%
Social & Welfare Professionals5.0%4.2%5.6%
Other Professionals, Associate Professional and Technical Occupations5.4%5.3%6.4%
Numerical Clerks and Cashiers3.6%2.8%2.5%
Other Clerical and Secretarial Occupations11.3%11.2%8.4%
Retail, Catering, Waiting and Bar Staff10.7%11.2%12.1%
Other Occupations11.6%11.0%12.2%
Unknown Occupations0.1%0%0%
Total100%100%100%

The largest increases in graduate numbers between 2003/4 and 2005/6 came in roles as junior doctors, hospital nurses, architectural technicians, sales assistants, social workers, commercial artists and dentists. The occupations seeing the largest falls in graduate numbers were general office staff, community nurses, accounts clerks, personnel officers and local government.

The region employed a higher share of graduates from 2005/6 as social workers, dentists, pharmacists and chemical engineers than its share of national employment would suggest.

In terms of employment sectors, 22% of graduates from 2006 working in the region were in the health sector six months after graduation (see Table 3).

Table 3. Employment sectors for UK-domiciled graduates working in the North East six months after graduating in 2005/6
Employment sectorPercentage of graduates
Health and social work22.1%
Finance, law, consulting and related activities12.1%
Education12.0%
Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles11.9%
Public administration and defence; social security9.4%

Graduates from 2005/6 finding work in the North East were rather less likely to have got their job through recruitment agencies than the national average, and rather more likely to have found work through newspaper advertisements. Just over a third, 36%, of graduates from 2005/6 working in the North East, were employed by SMEs six months after graduation.

Content last updated: May 08