HNDsA Higher National Diploma (HND) is a work-related course, available in a broad range of subject areas and can be studied at a range of universities or further education colleges. It can be used as a route into employment, on to a related degree course or as a stepping stone to gaining professional status. Progressing on to an honours degree remains a popular choice for HND diplomats. However, employment is also one of the main pathways open to HND holders and statistics have shown that significant numbers also combine employment with study. HND courses are vocational in content so the emphasis is on applying knowledge to a work context. This is why HND courses also include relevant work experience. HND courses are designed to offer flexibility so can be studied part-time, full-time, as a sandwich course or by distance learning. A HND takes two years to complete if studied full-time. Foundation degreesA foundation degree (FD), introduced in 2001, is an employment related higher education qualification designed with employers to meet their skills needs. Like HND, they are designed to be flexible so can be studied in a variety of ways: full-time, part-time, through distance learning, via the internet and fitted around employment. Entry qualifications are also flexible to encourage participation in higher education and relevant work experience is taken into account when applying for a course. FDs provide professional development in a wide range of vocational areas and aim to enhance career prospects. A full-time FD should take two years to complete or three to four years if studied part-time or by flexible learning whilst working. A foundation degree is a respected qualification in its own right, however, it is also designed to allow progression on to an honours degree and to some other higher level professional qualifications. There are some honours degree “top ups” that have been designed specifically for FD graduates. The growth of foundation degreesFDs have grown significantly since 2001 in terms of courses and the number of entrants. In 2006/7 there were 15,840 HND and FD qualifiers and almost two thirds of these (10,350) had studied FDs – a 31% increase on the previous year. Figures from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) show that the numbers of FD students have increased significantly since 2001/2 when only 4,320 students were enrolled. By 2007/8 almost 72,000 students were studying for a Foundation Degree on a full or part time basis indicating the popularity of the FD and the growth in the number of FD courses available. Destinations and types of work Destinations in this section of What Do Graduates Do? are based on those who responded to the 2006/07 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey. A total of 12,985 HND and FD qualifiers took part in this (see Table 1). The survey identifies destinations six months after graduation. Table 1: Destinations of HND and FD qualifiers from 2007, six months after graduation | Numbers graduating (survey respondents) | Entering employment | Entering further study/training | Working and studying | Unemployed at time of survey | Other |
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| HND | 4460 | 24.3% | 46.1% | 19.7% | 3.4% | 6.5% | | FD | 8525 | 33.0% | 34.1% | 25.4% | 2.3% | 5.3% | | HND and FD | 12985 | 30.0% | 38.2% | 23.4% | 2.7% | 5.7% |
Lower than average unemployment rateSix months following graduation, and despite the rise in numbers of HND and FD qualifiers, only 2.7% of these qualifiers were unemployed, this is well below the average figure for all first degree graduates (5.5%) and has fallen slightly since the previous year when it was 3.1%. There are a number of reasons which account for the lower than average unemployment rate. - A large number of FD students return to their employer on completion of their course and many of them choose to combine further study with work.
- A large percentage of HND and FD qualifiers also use their qualification to progress on to further study, often the final year of an honours degree course.
- HND and FD courses are vocational courses of study designed to prepare students for specific areas of employment. As well as including substantial relevant work experience, they also have employer input into their design and content to ensure that students develop the knowledge and skills they need to access opportunities and be effective in the workplace.
Popularity of further study as an optionAn enormous 61.6% of HND and FD qualifiers from 2007 were engaged in further study six months following graduation - either as a sole activity (38.2%) or combined with work (23.4%). 8,525 (66 %) of the respondents to the survey were FD qualifiers. The majority who undertook further study progressed on to the third year of an honours degree, following the pattern already established by HND diplomates. The popularity of further study as an option was also confirmed in a survey of 639 FD students carried out by Chris Jackson and Eddie Tunnah for the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) in 2005. The study found that a large majority (83%) of those surveyed confirmed that they wanted to progress on to an honours degree on completion of their studies. Popular employment destinationsSix months after graduation, 30% of HND and FD qualifiers were in employment and a further 23.4% combined work with study. The employment destinations of HND and FD respondents mirror the previous year’s survey, with the entry into a wide range of sectors reflecting the relevance of HND and FD to the workplace and the diversity and breadth of the HND and FD courses available. The largest percentages progressed into the following sectors: - Childcare and related occupations (14.8% of those working in the UK)
- Retail and catering (12.3%)
- Commercial, industrial and public sector management (10.4%)
TrendsThe majority of HND and FD qualifiers completed courses in education, business and administrative studies, engineering and technology, and creative arts and design and many chose to progress on to an honours degree. According to HEFCE, in 2005/06, education, creative arts and design and business administration accounted for almost 50% of FD entrants. There has been a 27.5% year-on-year rise in the number of FD enrolments confirming that this qualification is now established and is a popular option. In 2006/7 there was also a substantial year-on-year growth (43.4%) in part-time foundation degree provision, although the majority of students - 58% - were in full-time study. According to the Foundation Degree Task Force report to Ministers in 2004, the aim is to achieve 100,000 Foundation Degree places by 2010. The rise in the number of FD entrants may also be attributed to the increasing choice of courses and their flexibility and accessibility. Specialist courses have been created to specifically meet the skills needs of employers, the most recent addition being an employer led FD for the retail industry which was launched in 2008. Foundation Degree Forward reported (April 2008) that there were 2,500 courses being delivered by 83 universities and 255 further education colleges. Case studiesThom, communications manager with a large construction firm, HND Computer Aided DesignWhilst completing a computer-aided product design HND, Thom did some work experience with a small design studio and was offered a permanent trainee position. Thom was involved with a variety of projects which enabled him to build a varied portfolio. Building upon this and acquiring further skills, he chose to focus his career on graphic design, a perfect combination of arts and technology. Thom then progressed to the role of graphics designer for an aerospace engineering company in the South East of England. He believes he was successful in gaining this position 'as a result of acquiring a broad base of skills and manipulating opportunities to ensure those skills were made available to the right people at the right time.' Building a strong portfolio is essential for interviews in the design industry, and it should reflect, where possible, the trends and developments within graphic design, from hand- to computer-generated images, the printed page and the more dynamic media-rich on-screen environment of the internet, video and animation. Thom suggests that in order to be successful in graphic design you should be prepared to change to meet the needs of customers, yet acquire the confidence to lead their ideas and challenge accepted thinking. It is essential to be technically proficient with the tools used - computers and the humble pencil and paper, and to keep abreast of design trends and technological developments. The role also needs an ability to observe and absorb influences objectively, metaphorically and practically filing them away for future interpretation. He suggests that analytical and questioning skills are invaluable, along with the ability to be concise and provide clarity of message: 'Graphic design is a communications medium and doesn't benefit from clutter.' The combination of effective written language with clear, creative and purposeful design is Thom's real motivation and this led him to embark on an English literature and language degree with the Open University. He has recently moved to the position of communications manager with a large construction firm, where he can develop this aspect of his career further. He believes his current position is stronger because of his graphic design background and his skills are highly relevant - compiling design briefs, assessing the qualities of subcontracted projects, and the development and maintenance of the corporate brand. Paul, portfolio career, Foundation Degree in Health Related Exercise and FitnessPaul went straight from school to study economics at university and then entered work in the financial services sector. He worked in various roles before being made redundant in 2004. He used this experience as a catalyst for change and although viewing it as a 'bit of a risk at the time' decided to return to study. He decided on a foundation degree in Health Related Exercise and Fitness, given his interest in the subject, and it being broad enough to be used as a route into many other jobs. In addition, the course offered the option of doing a one year honours top up. Throughout the course Paul sought out opportunities for additional work experience using it as a chance to try out different jobs, build contacts and as a step into paid work. This was successful, leading Paul into a portfolio career in which he does part-time lecturing, works in a cardiac rehabilitation unit, supports the research activities in the university and works in a gym. Paul decided not to top up his degree to a full honours degree because he was already an honours graduate, but is currently looking at postgraduate study programmes including Masters and Doctorates. Five months after graduating, Paul is now deciding whether to follow his work experience into more cardiac rehabilitation work or pursue an academic career. He believes his foundation degree opened up many opportunities to him and he now has to decide which one to take. He notes not all foundation degree graduates will necessarily be in the same position, and thinks most may want to continue on to top up into an honours degree. He is quite unusual in having a degree already as well as many years of work experience. Paul advises foundation degree students to do as much work experience as possible both to try out jobs and as a route into paid work, even if they have worked extensively in the past. WebsitesResources on this siteGeneral links | 
