Graduates struggling in ever-competitive job market

Are you stuck between going to university, undertaking an apprenticeship or simply seeking a job? A recent report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) may help you decide – it found that 58.8% of graduates are now in non-graduates roles. The report states that over-qualification is now at ‘saturation point’, meaning that the number of graduates is vastly outweighing the creation of high-skilled jobs.

There is a widespread assumption that gaining a university degree will automatically open the doors to great, highly-remunerated jobs but, although this may have been true years ago, the UK’s highly competitive job market simply doesn’t have the room to accommodate the high number of graduates UK universities are producing.  

As a result of this perverse trend, graduates are now usurping some non-graduates from roles that do not require graduate-level skills. This trend is increasingly prominent in the construction and manufacturing sectors, which is even more alarming given that apprenticeships have traditionally been the route into these sectors.

If you are a graduate but struggling to find employment, the Bromley Youth Employment Scheme can help you by offering targeting employability support including help with your CV, job searching and interview skills. The same applies to young people who have decided not to go into higher education and (perhaps swayed by this article!) are seeking an apprenticeship or job. If you are interested please email ebp.admin@bromley.gov.uk or call 02084625046.