Page 14 - Gi flipbook May 2018

NEWS | EDUCATION

College graduates almost as

likely as university peers to

be employed five years on

GRADUATES WHO Engineering students earn slightly
OBTAINED their first more if they studied at college
degree at college
often earn as much as
university graduates,
and are almost as likely
to be in employment or
further training five years
on, according to new
data published by the
government.
The statistics for the most
recent available tax year,
2015-16, for the first time
covers those who graduated
with a first degree from a
further education college.
They show students
who obtained their first
degree at college are only
about one per cent less
likely to be in further study,
sustained employment or
both one, three, five and 10
years after graduation.
When it comes to
earnings, the differences
between graduates from
further education colleges slightly more if they studied those at universities.” further education could be
and their university at college. Ian Pretty, Chief Executive reflective of the fact that
peers are slightly more While they earned of Collab Group, said the FE qualifications are more
pronounced, with college £29,900, those who data demonstrated that vocationally focused than
leavers earning on average graduated from university graduates from colleges university degrees.
£14,600, compared to earned £29,500. However, were more likely to be She added: “SEMTA’s
£19,000 for those from in subject areas like mature students “and in recent Engineering a
universities, reports TES. psychology and law, the context of uncertainty Qualified Sector report
The difference widens those from university about the shape of the shows that the vast
slightly over time, according backgrounds were found to future labour market, majority of employers in
to the figures, with those earn significantly more. it is clear that [further our sector would prefer to
with degrees from colleges The Association of education institutions] take on engineers who have
earning £23,700 after Colleges Chief Executive have a vital role to play qualifications which included
five years, compared to David Hughes said the in working to upskill and some measure of hands-on
£30,000 for those who figures were “refreshing”. retrain adult learners to experience and training.
obtained their first degree “They make it clear that promote social mobility and “It could be that this
at university. colleges are providing support career progression”. gap closes as degree
However, data broken excellent opportunities Ann Watson, Chief apprenticeships become
down by subject studied for learners to improve Executive of the a more widely-used
shows the difference in their careers, which will be Science, Engineering and route into an engineering
median earnings in 2015- reflected in their earnings Manufacturing Technologies career, as they offer the
16 varied significantly, down the line. And that is Alliance (SEMTA), said: “The combination of knowledge
depending on the subject despite college students slightly higher average pay and practical application
area, with engineering often having lower prior rate for those in engineering of that knowledge that
students even earning levels of attainment than who have completed employers prize.” ■

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News.indd 9 19/04/2018 12:43