Source of data

WDGD provides information about the first destinations of first-degree graduates and HND and Foundation Degree diplomates, profiling how many leavers enter employment (and what type of employment), further study and unemployment six months after graduation.

Young people considering higher education as an option, teachers or advisers with responsibility for careers guidance, or parents concerned about their child’s future prospects, can all find helpful information to inform their decisions within.

This edition profiles the destinations of 2004/2005 leavers. To complement the data, there are articles and an editorial for each subject area where the data is discussed and interpreted.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), a government agency, annually collects national first destination information on first and higher degree graduates. The information for this report was collected through a questionnaire sent out in winter 2005/6 to all UK- and EU-domiciled students who graduated in the previous academic year. The results of this ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ (DLHE) survey represent a snapshot of the employment status and types of work of graduates six months after they graduated.

The DLHE survey asks graduates what their current activity is, whether it be work, study, looking for work or even travelling. If employed, it asks for the job description and the kind of company the graduate works for so that we can get a comprehensive picture of where graduates are employed, and the kind of work that they are doing. It also helps us to get a picture of patterns of further study, and can tell us very quickly how many people graduated with different degrees, as well as the overall numbers graduating.

Since these data present a snapshot survey of graduates shortly after they have received their qualification, it does not tell us what they will be doing further ahead in their careers. The survey does not ask for future career plans, and as a result cannot be used to answer questions about the intents of new graduates, nor of their reasons for choosing some of the career options.

Last year, in response to requests by students and advisers, we expanded the range of subjects available in the 2006 edition to take into account those subjects that had become more popular in recent years. Politics, Marketing and Sports Science sections have now been included. Information on Music graduates has also been included and merged with previously existing information for Drama, to form a new Performing Arts section. Another change made was the inclusion of Fine Arts graduates, in an amalgamated section with Design graduates titled Art and Design.

In order to make the data more meaningful, in the 2006 edition, we slightly modified some of our survey responses, and made some small changes to our job categories, merging some of the smaller areas and expanding those sections dealing with graduate professionals to show those in legal occupations and social or welfare occupations seperately.

For the 2007 edition, we have kept things as they are, but the Editors are always happy to receive feedback about the book, how you use it, and if you are happy with the contents.

…if you are a school pupil or student?

You might be thinking about going to university and may also have an idea of what subject you might like to study, or you may already be at university. By reviewing the information in WDGD, you will get a better understanding of the impact that a degree, HND/foundation degree, or a degree in a particular subject may have on your prospects. Looking at particular subjects, you can find out how many of the graduates secure employment and what jobs they go on to do, which might give you some ideas. You can also find out how graduates from other subjects fare. There is also general information about how to use your time at university to enhance your prospects and on the state of the job market.

…if you are a teacher or adviser offering careers guidance?

You can use WDGD as a basis for a wide range of guidance work including one-to-one guidance, tutor groups, career sessions for parents and higher education evenings and events.

…if you are a parent?

You can use WDGD to get a better understanding of the graduate labour market so you can help your child prepare for what is ahead. You can also review the subject level information to help your child make the best decision for them.

In addition to the subjects covered in the paper version, in the online version, we provide data for the subjects of Fine Art and Design separately. We also publish the data for four Biomedical subjects - Medicine, Nursing, Anatomy, physiology and pathology and Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy - and link to supplementary material, such as postgraduate destinations.

A useful supplementary source of information can be found in AGCAS Link-Up, a labour market information bulletin produced once a year by the careers advisers behind WDGD, as an aid for tutors in schools and colleges. This is available in photocopiable format on the UCAS website at http://www.ucas.com/schools/info, under 'Link-up'.