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YOU ARE IN » Home page > News and information main menu > Labour Market Information > May 08

May 08

Education

• Oxford tops university rankings
• HEPI study on the international student market
• Rise in HE applicant numbers
• State schools and UK universities
• Oxford unveils fundraising campaign
• Foundation degree numbers on target

Employment

• CBI study on education and skills
• Freshfields raises trainee pay
• Virgin Atlantic joins the AGR
• Pinsent announces bonus scheme for trainees
• Skills initiative unveiled for Scottish financial services industry
• Bird & Bird unveils trainee salary hike
• White and Case trainee salaries rise

This bulletin summarises reports and surveys, press releases and news articles under the following headings: education and employment. This month saw the publication of a paper looking at the impact of the Bologna Process on the UK, and the Sutton Trust published a report arguing that there are relatively few comprehensive schools sending significant numbers to the UK’s most prestigious universities. In employment, various City law firms announced salary rises, Virgin Atlantic became a member of the Association of Graduate Recruiters and the Confederation of British Industry published a study into business priorities for education and skills.

Education

Oxford University has topped the Independent’s Complete University Guide. The league tables, which measure variables such as student satisfaction, research assessment, entry standards, degree results, completion rates, job prospects, the student/staff ratio, spending on academic services such as libraries, and spending on facilities such as careers and health services., show Oxford coming in at first place, followed by Cambridge, London School of Economics, Imperial College, Warwick, Durham, St Andrews, University College London, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Lancaster.

(Universities Guide: Top of the class, again, The Independent, 24 April 2008.)

This paper considers the impact of the Bologna Process on the future of the UK as a destination for international students. It reviews the international student market and future trends, discussing potential concerns for the UK, such as price, teaching in English, and quality of teaching and research. The study concludes that it is expensive for international students to study in England and that competition from other countries for a share in the international student market is set to increase.

(The Bologna process and the UK's international student market, J Cemmell and B Bekhradnia, May 2008.)

Data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show a 7.8% rise in the number of applicants to UK universities and colleges on the same point last year. As of 24 March 2008, 487,784 people had applied to start full-time undergraduate courses this autumn compared with 446,765 at the same point last year. Law continues to be the preferred subject choice, followed by psychology, pre-clinical medicine and design studies. Data also cover gender and social class.

(Latest university application figures show 7.8% rise, UCAS press release, 23 April 2008.)

This report explores the characteristics and practices of non-academically selective state schools that have a successful track record of sending students to the UK’s leading universities. It concludes that there are relatively few comprehensive schools sending significant numbers to the most prestigious universities, while links with universities are often based on personal contacts rather than a more strategic approach. The document also addresses policy implications, discussing encouragement of students, university links, applications process, post-qualification application, size of sixth-form, and new universities.

(Primed for success? The Characteristics and practices of state schools with good track records of entry into prestigious UK universities, Institute of Education/Sutton Trust, May 2008.)

The University of Oxford has launched a fundraising campaign aimed at raising £1.25 billion. To date, £575 million has been raised, including £25 million pledged for the development of the New Bodleian Library and a further £25 million for the Saïd Business School. There have been more than 20,000 donations to the University in the pre-launch phase of the Campaign for the University of Oxford from 1 August 2004 to 31 March 2008. The majority of gifts have been £25,000 and below.

(£1.25 billion campaign launched with major donations, Oxford University press release, 28 May 2008.)

A report by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) says that the growth in the number of students taking foundation degrees is on course to meet the Government’s target of 100,000 by 2010. According to the study, there were 72,000 students enrolled on foundation degree courses in 2007/08, while of the entrants in 2004/05 following a full-time programme, 56% received a higher education award by 2005/06 and 65% of entrants in 2005/06 were aged 21 or over at the time of beginning their course.

(Growth in students on foundation degrees is on track to meet government target, 6 May 2008.)

Employment

This report analyses business’ priorities for education and skills issues. It argues that poor skills levels threaten business performance and notes that employers seek graduates with relevant degrees and work experience. The study notes that, for employers, the key is increasing the numbers of valuable science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates, though employers are struggling to recruit these graduates in sufficient numbers and are concerned at the shortage of STEM graduates. Employers see generic employment skills as the priority when recruiting graduates.

(Taking stock: CBI education and skills survey 2008, Confederation of British Industry, April 2008.)

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has increased its salaries for trainee and associate solicitors. Salaries for first-year trainees will rise by 2.6%, meaning that salaries will rise from £38,000 to £39,000, while second-year trainees and newly qualified associates have seen rises of 2.3% and 1.5% respectively, salaries rising from £43,000 to £44,000 and from £65,000 to £66,000 respectively. The firm also announced that bonuses remain unchanged.

(Freshfields ups associate salaries by 2 per cent, The Lawyer, 6 May 2008.)

Virgin Atlantic Airways has become the 800th member of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), the body representing employers involved in graduate recruitment. Simon Mason, of Virgin Atlantic, said that the firm was keen to develop its graduate programme and that membership of the AGR will help the firm keep abreast of the latest trends in graduate recruitment.

(Virgin Atlantic becomes AGR's 800th member, AGR press release, May 2008.)

Pinsent Masons has launched a bonus scheme for its trainee solicitors, with successful candidates earning a potential £5,000 windfall upon qualification. The bonus is automatically awarded to trainees logging more than 2,000 hours of work in one year, although the target is not restricted to client work and includes time spend on internal training or marketing initiatives. Trainees will also receive the bonus if they go beyond the call of duty, for example, relocating to a different office or working unsociable hours.

(Pinsents to pioneer £5k bonus plan for trainees, The Lawyer, 28 April 2008.)

The Scottish Government has unveiled a new skills gateway for the development of Scotland’s financial services sector. The proposed role of the gateway is to articulate clearly the industry's skills requirements, improve the understanding of the career pathways available in financial services, increase the flow of school-leavers, graduates and adult returners into the sector and facilitate collaboration between all stakeholders involved in education, training and skills development.

(Opening the skills gateway, Scottish Government press release, 29 May 2008.)

Bird & Bird has unveiled a 19% rise in first-year trainee solicitor salaries. A first-year trainee at the firm will now take home £37,000, while second-year trainees will pocket £40,000. These figures are up from £31,000 and £35,000 respectively. The firm has also announced in salaries for its newly qualified will rise from £55,000 to £60,000, representing a 9% rise.

(Bird & Bird bucks trend with bumper pay rises, 1 May 2008.)

White & Case has unveiled its latest round of salary rises in London, raising newly qualified solicitors’ salaries by £2,000. This means that the firm’s newly qualified lawyers will earn £78,000, while a new trainee will earn £41,000, unchanged from last year. Allen & Overy, meanwhile, has frozen associate salaries and raised trainee solicitor salaries by £800 this year, to £37,000.

(White & Case boosts London salaries, The Lawyer, 15 May 2008.)