Graduate Employability

At Newcastle, the quality of our degrees, a focus on developing students' employability skills and our reputation with employers means that our graduates are in a strong position in the world of work.

Our reputation

We consistently have one of the best records for graduate employment in the UK, with 95.2% of our 2012 UK/EU graduates entering employment or further study within six months of graduating. This puts us in the top 5 in the UK among our peer group of comparator universities. More than three quarters (84.9%) of those in jobs achieved a professional or managerial position. This track record also places us in the top 15 of the major university league tables for graduate career prospects, including The Times Good University Guide, The Sunday Times University Guide, and The Guardian University Guide.

Education for life

Students are encouraged to think about their future early in their studies. We have collaborated closely with employers to identify a set of skills which are needed in life beyond university. These skills (eg business awareness, self awareness and communication), are outlined in our Graduate Skills Framework.

Students can develop the skills in demand by graduate employers by taking part in our award-winning ncl+ initiative. Opportunities include work and study abroad placements.

Degrees relevant to the workplace

We work with employers to ensure that our degrees reflect the skills needed in the world of work:

  • our academic schools have advisory boards with graduate employers as members
  • many of our degrees are accredited by professional organisations: even more are informed by employer consultative groups
  • employers regularly visit campus to deliver lectures and practical sessions
  • students are taught and assessed in ways that encourage the development of transferable skills, such as teamwork and project-based work

Direct input from employers on the design of degrees and Career Development Modules means students can be accredited for volunteering or paid work experience.

Opportunities include Newcastle Work Experience placements in a local business or getting involved with a range of University events. Around 75 new work experience and part-time jobs are advertised each week on our Careers Service vacancies database.

The majority of our degrees offer study abroad opportunities and we have almost 200 exchange partners worldwide. The skills gained through these experiences, such as language skills and cultural awareness, are increasingly valued by employers.

The wide range of ways in which we develop the employability of our students was specially commended by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

Strong employer links

Newcastle graduates are in demand - we are one of the top 20 'most targeted' universities by the UK's leading employers.

We have well established links with some of the biggest graduate recruiters, including over 80 of the employers featured in The Times newspaper's Top 100 Graduate Employers list. We also have connections with local employers, who provide work experience and graduate opportunities. Around 44% of our graduates who go into employment do so in the North East.

Over 2,000 employers advertise vacancies, work experience and placement opportunities with our Careers Service annually. More than 260 employers come to visit our campus each year to deliver presentations, hold interviews and attend recruitment fairs - ultimately to recruit our students.

Award-winning careers support

Our Careers Service is one of the best, largest and most innovative in the UK. It was rated 13th out of 163 universities world-wide in the annual International Student Barometer survey 2012.

Services provided to students include:

  • one-to-one sessions with a professional careers adviser
  • drop-in CV checks
  • unique online resources
  • a huge range of skills development workshops

Our support package helps students to develop the strategies to be successful in an increasingly challenging market. Careers Service staff also provide information and workshops which are tailored to our degree programmes.

We support students and graduates who want to start their own business. In 2011-12, over 28 new businesses were set up by our students. Support is provided by a dedicated team of business advisers, entrepreneurs and professional partners. Students have access to workspace facilities, including hot desks with PCs and printing facilities.

Our Graduate Connections network enables current students to access careers-related knowledge and experience from past graduates.

Newcastle graduates benefit from our careers support for up to three years after graduation, and business start-up support is available indefinitely.