Source of data

Welcome to the 2005 edition of What Do Graduates Do? (WDGD). Whether you are a young person considering higher education as an option, a teacher or adviser with responsibility for careers guidance, or a parent concerned about your child’s future prospects, there is information here that can help and guide you.

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. This edition profiles the destinations of 2002/2003 leavers. To complement the data, there is a selection of articles and an editorial for each subject area where the data are discussed and interpreted.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), a government agency, collects annually national first destination information on higher degree graduates. The information for this report was collected through a questionnaire sent out in January 2004 to all UK and EU domiciled students who graduated in the previous 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 on 15 January 2004.

Introduced in 2004, the DLHE questionnaire replaced the First Destination Survey (FDS). It includes new categories, asks new questions, giving us a greater bank of destination information. Because of changes to the questionnaire with this edition, much of the data in 'What Do Graduates Do?' 2005 cannot be properly compared with previous editions.

The DLHE survey asks a series of questions about the activities undertaken by a respondent on 15 January 2004. It asks what their current employment circumstance is, and if employed, what is their job description.

All of this builds into a comprehensive picture of what graduates from all kinds of disciplines do in their first steps on leaving university.

Since these data present a snapshot survey of graduates shortly after they have received their qualification, they do not tell us what they will be doing further ahead in their careers.

The survey does not ask for future career plans, nor does it ask why the respondent chose their course or current career activity, and as a result cannot be used to answer questions about intent.

…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 or HND, and 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 more 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's ahead. You can also review the subject level information so you can help your child make the best decision for them.