Where do all the IT graduates work ?

[Pro Tour Punditry]

It puzzles me why people enter into undertaking fairly "specific" university courses without first establishing the likelihood of there being some chance of employment for them at the end of it. I can see the benefit of "general" courses which offer a wider field of employment opportunities, but why, for example, are so many kids packed off to uni to study law by parents who think they are going to become Rumpole of the Bailey at the end of it? Nobbers.

 

[vernon]

UK universities turn out decreasing numbers of IT graduates, which is why lots of IT development and testing is outsourced to India, China and Vietnam.

On the other hand we churn out more Media studies graduates per year than there are media related jobs in total.

I might be exaggerating but you get the gist

70% of IT graduates from 2011-2013 were known to be in employment whereas 73% of Mass Media graduates were known to be in employment.*

So, if there are more jobs than graduates in IT and more graduates than jobs for Mass Media graduates, have a go at explaining the figures.

*Higher Education Statistics Agency

 

[vernon]

It puzzles me why people enter into undertaking fairly "specific" university courses without first establishing the likelihood of there being some chance of employment for them at the end of it. I can see the benefit of "general" courses which offer a wider field of employment opportunities, but why, for example, are so many kids packed off to uni to study law by parents who think they are going to become Rumpole of the Bailey at the end of it? Nobbers.

46% of the 2011-2013 graduates were in work, 30% were in further study and 5% were unemployed.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

46% of the 2011-2013 graduates were in work, 30% were in further study and 5% were unemployed.

How many were "in work" in a specialism? I have every sympathy for those who set out to achieve a goal to then discover that they may never achieve it. I realise people change their views and those who set off on a course may decide that it's not for them but continue with it anyway, and then decide on another way - it would be good if our educational establishments actually looked towards preparing our youth to realise that dreams are not solely based on the acquisition of stuff and wealth; how about an A level in happiness?

 

[vernon]

How many were "in work" in a specialism? I have every sympathy for those who set out to achieve a goal to then discover that they may never achieve it. I realise people change their views and those who set off on a course may decide that it's not for them but continue with it anyway, and then decide on another way - it would be good if our educational establishments actually looked towards preparing our youth to realise that dreams are not solely based on the acquisition of stuff and wealth; how about an A level in happiness?

It's not necessarily stuff and wealth that's being chased but the associated status of the field of employment. As for the precise nature of the employment undertaken by the graduates, there does not appear to be figures that go into that degree (sic) of detail. I've never worked as an engineer despite having an engineering degree. The contraction of manufacturing and the associated axing of graduate engineering trainee posts saw to that i8n the early eighties.

Secondary education and parents are notoriously out of phase with current and future employment trends. This coupled with schools chasing points scores and added value steer sixth formers to the subjects that deliver the highest grade vs ability ratio. For instance, there's going to be a lot of performing arts qualification holders going to see their acting ambition bubbles pop pretty soon. They won't accept that fame is not a realistic career choice.

 

[robjh]

UK universities turn out decreasing numbers of IT graduates, which is why lots of IT development and testing is outsourced to India, China and Vietnam.

The reason for outsourcing to 2nd world countries is cost, pure and simple. In my company we are losing much of our development and operations work to Argentina and China, and have dallied with Morocco too. The employment costs of an Argentinian IT professional are around half of their equivalent in northern Europe. The other factor in the growth of offshore working is the great improvement in comms technology that has made the distance largely unimportant.

 

[Gravity Aided]

It's not necessarily stuff and wealth that's being chased but the associated status of the field of employment. As for the precise nature of the employment undertaken by the graduates, there does not appear to be figures that go into that degree (sic) of detail. I've never worked as an engineer despite having an engineering degree. The contraction of manufacturing and the associated axing of graduate engineering trainee posts saw to that i8n the early eighties.

Secondary education and parents are notoriously out of phase with current and future employment trends. This coupled with schools chasing points scores and added value steer sixth formers to the subjects that deliver the highest grade vs ability ratio. For instance, there's going to be a lot of performing arts qualification holders going to see their acting ambition bubbles pop pretty soon. They won't accept that fame is not a realistic career choice.

And that acting is lot more stressful, as well as harder work than it seems. I've never worked journalism or government. When I started my university degrees, those were seen as fields for expanded opportunity, but that had deflated by the time I got out of school. Lucky I was good at balancing accounts and business. Although now, I drive a bus, and find it most enjoyable. The realism of career choice varies by the realities of the economy. Many people in IT and computer science are just finding that out, as output is exceeding demand, and expense control demands a lower cost solution. I can't speak to the right or wrong in this. As an employer, if you don't do x or y, someone else will, and eat your lunch for you.

 

[mr_cellophane]

46% of the 2011-2013 graduates were in work, 30% were in further study and 5% were unemployed.

And were the other 19% statisticians ?

I've worked in IT for over 30 years and never been to university. Fortunately my present role can't employ people from overseas except as first line support.

 

[vernon]

And were the other 19% statisticians ?

I've worked in IT for over 30 years and never been to university. Fortunately my present role can't employ people from overseas except as first line support.

i couldn't be bothered to list the breakdown of the other 19% but they were not in work, studying further or were unemployed.

 

[vernon]

And were the other 19% statisticians ?

I've worked in IT for over 30 years and never been to university.

I'm old enough to remember the ease of entry into the world of computing thirty years ago but that was then. This thread is about the present state of affairs for IT graduates.

 

[Fab Foodie]

70% of IT graduates from 2011-2013 were known to be in employment whereas 73% of Mass Media graduates were known to be in employment.*

So, if there are more jobs than graduates in IT and more graduates than jobs for Mass Media graduates, have a go at explaining the figures.

*Higher Education Statistics Agency

Well those burgers don't flip all by themselves you know .....

 

[Ganymede]

It's not necessarily stuff and wealth that's being chased but the associated status of the field of employment. As for the precise nature of the employment undertaken by the graduates, there does not appear to be figures that go into that degree (sic) of detail. I've never worked as an engineer despite having an engineering degree. The contraction of manufacturing and the associated axing of graduate engineering trainee posts saw to that i8n the early eighties.

Secondary education and parents are notoriously out of phase with current and future employment trends. This coupled with schools chasing points scores and added value steer sixth formers to the subjects that deliver the highest grade vs ability ratio. For instance, there's going to be a lot of performing arts qualification holders going to see their acting ambition bubbles pop pretty soon. They won't accept that fame is not a realistic career choice.

I'm appalled by the number of performing arts degrees. In my view you have a small enough chance of "making it" out of the drama schools, which have all the showcases and connections to send you off with - plus they teach actual acting technique and how to work the job market. The university perf. arts courses are often run by non-performers and have no idea how to launch you as an employable prospect. Most perf. arts degrees are just taking people's money, a total con.

I do think that there are transferable skills from performing arts but tbh they'd be better off doing stage management or other techie stuff, there is a skills gap and practically ALL the skills are transferable.

I think the much-maligned "media studies" is actually a good way to learn analysis, critical thinking and a wide knowledge of the media, which (let's face it) takes up an awful lot of people's time and earns this country a lot of money, and is useful to know about in a lot of other jobs.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

[QUOTE 3508961, member: 259"]He was a barrister and therefore would not have been expected to have studied law. [/QUOTE]
what do they study?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

[QUOTE 3509009, member: 259"]Barristers didn't use to have to study law, they needed a degree in something, in order to take a pupillage.Things have changed now, though. Rumpole studied law though, I think.[/QUOTE]


Something useful or would they get away with an IT degree?

 

[Drago]

Guy I went to school with is in IT, he's VP for a large software concern. He lives on an island in a river, and drives an Aston Martin.

The only difference is he's now a wealthy bore instead of a spotty teenage one.
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