Young postgraduates urged to boost work skills to beat recession-hit UK job market

Record numbers of graduates are expected to flood back into study due to a recession-hit UK job market, but Heather Collier Director of the National Council for Work Experience warns there may be tougher times ahead for young postgraduates who don't have an employability plan in mind:

"With the exception of some vocational niches, the employment market for Masters degrees is not very well defined, especially when you compare it to first degrees or Doctorates. One thing we know for certain however is that unemployment rates amongst younger postgraduates are much higher than for older or part-time postgraduates.

"At undergraduate level, employers are saying that work experience is becoming more important to them than class of degree or university. This is possibly of greater significance to those studying Masters as they will be pitting themselves against recent undergraduates who already have a year's work experience under their belts.

"For these reasons it is vital for students going straight back into university after graduating to find the right balance between gaining additional qualifications and practical work experience. In the current economic climate this message couldn't be more imperative."

Research by the Higher Education Careers Service Unit shows that during the height of the 1990s recession - when unemployment was at its highest for more than a decade - 30 per cent of students went straight back into higher education after graduating.

Collier adds: "Graduates should continue to consider further study, particularly when graduate job opportunities may be limited. A further qualification gives you extra skills and something to market yourself with. Plus postgraduates do command a higher salary premium than first degree graduates. With record numbers of 2:1 undergraduate degrees, it is a good way for them to differentiate themselves. But it must go hand in hand with demonstrable employability skills."

"Those about to embark on postgraduate courses need to think ahead. 2010 could prove just as tough a time to get work, so those studying over the next couple of years need to ensure that they are putting time aside to supplement their studies with getting the skills they'll need in the workplace.

"It can be difficult to juggle part-time work with a full-time course, but a Masters degree is only one year of your life and it's essential to stay one step ahead of the competition. The only way to gain the right CV-enhancing skills is to try and hone those often taken for granted generic skills - such as communication and team work - via some kind of work experience."

Heather Collier's tips for postgraduates looking to boost their employability:

Use your research skills to find out everything you can about the area and companies that you want to work with.
Network. Ask your tutor if they have any business connections and also try your university's alumni organisation for contacts.
If you can't find the right work placement, consider volunteering which can provide useful examples to use in competency-based interviews.
Search the online database of nationwide work experience vacancies at Prospects.

November 26 2008