Graduate confidence remains high

An online survey of final-year students by targetjobs.co.uk has found that more than two-thirds remain bullish about their job prospects.  The survey, completed by over 800 students, revealed that 69% were confident about getting a job on leaving university (with 12% having already lined up a job for when they leave).

Those who expressed confidence about getting a job attributed this to three main factors: their academic record (40%), their work experience (40%) or the state of the economy (20%).  (In the latter context, the survey also revealed that relatively few students appear to have a cogent grasp of either the economic situation per se or its effect on employment prospects.)

Men were more confident about gaining employment than women, and had already secured a higher proportion of job offers (14% as against 10%).  White students were twice as likely to have received job offers as those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, with females from the latter group the most pessimistic about their chances.