Newcastle University

The latest figures from the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that the number of students leaving Newcastle and finding work has risen in the past twelve months.

At the same time as the country faces economic hardship and cuts, the overall percentage of Newcastle University graduates from last summer, 2010, going on to employment and further study, has risen to over 94 per cent, up nearly three per cent on the previous year.

And the jobs these alumni are going into are overwhelmingly graduate level, at 77.7 per cent, showing the benefit of a Newcastle University degree.

The figures come against the backdrop of tough economic conditions and a competitive jobs market. The rate of employment across the country fell during the period covered by the new figures.

One successful student, Vanessa Lawrence, 22, from Gosforth, graduated last summer with a 2:1 degree in Marketing and Management. She now works in a business development role at automated machine maker Orwin, based in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

She said that as well as the value of having a degree from Newcastle University, the work experience programme offered by the Careers Service was invaluable in helping her find a job. As part of her course she worked at Newcastle-based East End Health, a community charity, for around 100 hours, helping them with a business plan.

Vanessa said: “It was such a useful experience, it really gave me the chance to put what I had been learning on my degree into practice, it made everything a lot clearer, and of course it looked great on my CV that I had been out there and done some real work.

“My role now involves helping the company grow by looking at how we can improve our business plan and also some marketing. I feel like I’m making a real difference. It is just so good to be going into work every day doing a job I enjoy and look forward to.

“Any students who are thinking of doing a degree should be confident that going to the right university and putting the work in, can put you on the path to the right career.”

Director of the Careers Service, Nick Keeley, commented: “Vanessa’s story is not unusual for Newcastle University.  There is a false perception that there are very few graduate jobs available and even fewer in the North East. Almost 50 per cent of our graduates who go into employment do so in the North East and the vast majority of these are in graduate level jobs.

"As a Careers Service and as a University, we have created a range of innovative and exciting schemes and programmes, like the placement which Vanessa undertook, to bring our students and local graduate employers together. The result is that lots of our graduates don’t have to move away from the region to get a top graduate job, which is good for them and good for the region.”

Watch our videos and read more about some of our graduate successes.