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March 2010:

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What do graduates do - West Midlands (Spring 08)

Fifty years ago, the region was one of the most prosperous in the UK, fuelled by a powerful manufacturing sector. Today, the decline of manufacturing industry has hit the West Midlands and it performs less well. Important sectors include the automobile industry, construction, business services, ICT, food and drink and environmental services.

7.4% of graduates from 2005/6 who were known to be in employment six months after graduating were working in the West Midlands. The region was known to employ 10,865 graduates from 2005/6 six months after graduating, showing a stable employment market compared to 2003/4 levels (a rise of 0.8% from 10,775). However, there has been a strong fall in the proportion of graduates entering jobs that did not require a degree, down from 41% in 2003/4 to 36.4% in 2005/6 (see Table 1 and SOC(HE)) – indicating some changes within the regional job market of benefit to graduates.

Table 1. Graduate employment categories for graduates working in the West Midlands six months after graduating from 2003/4 to 2005/6
2003/42004/52005/6
Traditional graduate occupations10.4%10.4%11.6%
Modern graduate occupations12.3%12.7%14.5%
New graduate occupations14.5%15.0%14.3%
Niche graduate occupations21.8%22.3%23.2%
Non-graduate occupations41.0%39.7%36.4%

There was an increase in the number of graduates entering jobs in health in 2005/6 from 2003/4, with increases in the numbers of junior doctors, nurses and pharmacists over the three year period (Table 2). However, there was a significant decrease in the numbers of physiotherapists and of occupational therapists working in the region.

Most other sectors remained stable, with only minor fluctuations over the three years, but social and welfare professionals increased strongly, with more social workers, probation officers and education officers starting work in the West Midlands, and a modest reduction in housing officers and community workers.

Other jobs that saw an increase in graduates between 2003/4 and 2005/6 included primary and secondary teaching, design engineering, business analysis, IT consultancy and quantity surveying. The largest decreases in roles in the region not already covered came in jobs in non-graduate occupations, in local government and in biochemistry

The region also employed a higher share of graduates from 2005/6 as dentists, youth workers, education and learning support workers, psychologists, mental health nurses, adult nurses, design and development engineers, primary teachers, children’s nurses and further education teaching professionals than its share of national employment would suggest.

Table 2. Types of work for UK-domiciled graduates working in the West Midlands six months after graduating from 2003/4 to 2005/6
2003/42004/52005/6
Marketing, Sales and Advertising Professionals3.5%3.4%3.5%
Commercial, Industrial and Public Sector Managers9.8%9.0%9.5%
Scientific Research, Analysis & Development Professionals1.1%0.9%0.7%
Engineering Professionals3.1%2.9%2.9%
Health Professionals and Associate Professionals13.6%14.2%14.8%
Education Professionals7.7%7.9%8.9%
Business and Financial Professionals and Associate Professionals6.2%6.7%6.5%
Information Technology Professionals3.6%3.7%3.6%
Arts, Design, Culture and Sports Professionals3.9%4.5%4.5%
Legal Professionals0.4%0.6%0.6%
Social & Welfare Professionals3.6%3.7%4.8%
Other Professionals, Associate Professional and Technical Occupations5.0%5.1%5.2%
Numerical Clerks and Cashiers4.0%2.9%2.7%
Other Clerical and Secretarial Occupations13.0%12.4%10.9%
Retail, Catering, Waiting and Bar Staff8.9%9.6%8.7%
Other Occupations12.4%12.3%12.1%
Unknown Occupations0.3%0.1%0%
Total100%100%100%

Health and education made up the largest employment sectors for new graduates, with the main jobs covered above (Table 3). In the sector of finance, law, consulting and related activities, the main destinations for graduates in the region were roles in personnel and recruitment, accountancy, advertising and general office work.

Table 3. Employment sectors for UK-domiciled graduates working in the West Midlands six months after graduating in 2005/6
Employment sectorPercentage of graduates
Health and social work21.7%
Education14.8%
Finance, law, consulting and related activities11.4%
Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles10.2%
Public administration and defence; social security7.3%

41% of graduates from 2005/6 known to be working in the region six months after graduating were employed by SMEs. Graduates from 2005/6 working in the region were the least likely in England to have found their current jobs through university careers services (4.9%) – those who did were commonly working in health, education or finance.

Content last updated: May 08