8/2/2019 2008 UCD

1/72

What do graduates do?T h e C l a s s O f 2 0 0 8

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

2/72

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

3/72

AcknowledgementsThe Higher Education Authority wish to thank the ollowing higher education institutionswhich provided data or this report:

All Hallows College Athlone Institute o Technology

Cork Institute o Technology Craword College o Art & Design, Cork

Dublin Business School Dublin City University

Dublin Institute o Technology Dun Laoghaire Institute o Art, Design & Technology

Dundalk Institute o Technology FISC Ireland Ltd

Galway-Mayo Institute o Technology Garda Siochana College, TemplemoreGrith College, Dublin Holy Ghost College, Kimmage Manor

HSI Limerick Business School Institute o Public Administration

Institute o Technology, Blanchardstown Institute o Technology, Carlow

Institute o Technology, Sligo Institute o Technology, Tallaght

Institute o Technology, Tralee Irish Management Institute

Letterkenny Institute o Technology Limerick Institute o Technology

Midwest Business Institute, Limerick Mater Dei Institute o Education

Milltown Institute o Theology and Philosophy Military College, Curragh Camp

National College o Ireland National College o Art & Design

National University o Ireland, Maynooth National University o Ireland, GalwayRoyal College o Surgeons, Ireland Portobello College

Skerrys College, Cork Shannon College o Hotel Management

St. Patricks College, Carlow St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland

The Open Training College The American College, Dublin

Trinity College Dublin Tipperary Institute

University College Dublin University College Cork

Waterord Institute o Technology University o Limerick

St. Angelas College Sligo

This document is also available to download rom

the publications section o the HEA website:

ISBN 1-905135-33-5

Statistics Section

Dr. Vivienne Patterson Head o Statistics

Dr. Dawn Carroll

Mr. Fergal Noone

Dr. Dorota Migocka-Sendlak

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

4/72

ForewordThis year marks the 28th edition o our graduate survey: What Do Graduates Do?The Class of 2008. Over the years it has reported on the experiences o our graduates

nine months ater graduation. It has been signicant in guiding the decisions and

direction o policy makers, academics, students and employment providers. Furthermore

it underscores the critical importance o higher education to our society and economy as

a whole. This has rarely been more evident than in our present economic climate where

higher education brings an added signicance as it is through a highly trained workorce

that our uture economic and social well being depends.

The Class o 2008 entered into one o the toughest economic times since the inception

o this publication with high unemployment and emigration on the rise. Increases have

been reported in the numbers o graduates seeking employment and working overseas.

However, overall the numbers o graduates entering the workorce remains robust

proving once again the importance o higher education qualications.

The ollowing report is a result o the eorts o all partners in the Irish higher education

sector and was compiled by the HEA Statistics Section based on the ndings o the First

Destination o Awards recipients in Higher Education Survey (FDR) 2008. This survey was

carried out by the careers ocers at the seven universities, and colleges o educationand HETAC, on behal o the Institutes o Technology.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those graduates or taking the time to

respond to the survey. I would also like to thank the Careers Ocers at all o our higher

education providers and to (HETAC) or collating and returning this data to the Statistics

section at the HEA who compiled the report. This publication would not be possible

without your continued participation and support.

Michael Kelly

Chairman

Higher Education Authority

March 2010

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

5/72

IntroductionThe First Destinations Report (FDR) has been produced annually since 1982 by theStatistics Section o the Higher Education Authority, based on data rom participating

higher education institutions. This years report, What Do Graduates Do? The Class

of 2008provides an insight into the position o Irish graduates nine months ater

graduation. The report includes analysis o those in employment and those seeking

employment in addition to levels o participation in urther study and training.

The survey also measures the salaries, region o employment, employment sector

and migration patterns o graduates. Graduates o all higher education qualications

are surveyed, rom Higher/University Certicates to PhDs.

Data contained in this report is based on inormation provided by 2008 graduates

nine months ater they graduate. (surveyed in April 2009).

The report is presented as ollows: Section 1 analyses the rst destinations o level

8-10 graduates; Section 2 examines the starting salaries o graduates; Section 3 reviews

the regional distribution o graduates; Section 4 looks at the sectoral distribution o the

respondents in employment; Section 5 explores the migration patterns o Level 8 Honours

Bachelor Degree graduates and Section 6 examines the trends in newly qualied primary

and secondary school teachers.

An outline o the contents and key points o each section ollows.

Section 1 examines the rst destinations o level 8-10 graduates. Key points include:

n The ull eects o the recession are beginning to be refected in this data as students

were surveyed at the beginning o 2009.

nThe proportion o Level 8 graduates in 2008 in employment is 50% while the proportion

seeking work is 10%.

nThe proportion o Higher Degree graduates in employment remained robust in 2008with 63% employed in Ireland or overseas.

nMore emale than male Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree graduates gained employment

nine months ater graduation.

nLevel 8 Arts and Humanities graduates were most likely to pursue some orm o urther

study in 2008.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

6/72

Section 2 describes the salaries o all levels o graduates nine months ater graduation. Key

points include:

nGraduates with higher qualications continue to report higher initial salaries, especially at

postgraduate levels.

nThe most common salary band or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree 2008 employed

graduates (Ireland and abroad) was 21,000 - 24,999.

nThe most common salary o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree graduates working in Dublin

was between 17,000 and 20,999. That was also the most common salary band or Level

8 graduates employed in Ireland.

nFemales are more likely than males to earn lower initial salaries, what is particularly visible

in the extreme salary brackets. Despite the act that males still earn higher initial salaries the

distance between genders in this regard is smaller.

Section 3 reports on the regional distribution o graduates o all levels in Ireland.

Key points include:

n2008 graduates o all award levels are disproportionately employed in the Dublin region.

nThe South West remains a popular destination or employed 2008 graduates.

nThe proportion o employed 2008 graduates rom all levels gaining employment overseas

increased rom 2007 graduates who gained employment overseas.

Section 4 deals with the sectoral distribution o employed graduates. Key points include:

nFor most award levels Non-Market Services was the most popular employment sector.

nThe least populated sectors o employment or 2008 graduates were:

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Electricity, Gas and Water Supply

Transport, Storage and Communications

Building and Construction

Distribution

nThe employment distribution o graduates by aculty across the labour market both

in Ireland and overseas is almost the same.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

7/72

Section 5 shows the migration trends o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree graduates.

Key points include:

nDublin is the only county to employ more graduates than it produces while Galway and

Limerick employ an equal number.

nCork has an employed graduate population that is 90% o the size o its graduate

population while at the opposite end o the scale the equivalent gure or Monaghan

is only 30%.

nDublin and Cork demonstrate high retention rates o employed graduates at 94% and

67% respectively.

nNationally only 34% o graduates nd employment in their county o origin.

Section 6 examines the trends in Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree and Levels 8 & 9 Higher/

Postgraduate diplomas in Education (i.e. newly qualied primary and secondary school

teachers). Key points include:

n78% o surveyed graduates o Higher/Postgraduate Diplomas in Education are employed

9 months ater graduation.

n54% o such graduates obtained their primary degree rom the aculty o Arts,

Humanities and Social Science.

n

91% o surveyed Level 8 graduates o the Bachelor o Education are employed 9 monthsater graduation.

n95.8% o Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Education graduates were employed in

Ireland 9 months ater graduation.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

8/72

ContentsForeword 2Introduction 3

Contents 6

DefnitionoTerms 9

Section 1 FirstDestinationsoGraduates

1.1 FirstDestinationsofGraduates1987-2008 14

1.2 FDRSeekingEmploymentRatesversusCSOUnemploymentRates1998-2009 15

1.3 FirstDestinationsofGraduatesbyLevelofAward 16

1.4 FirstDestinationsofLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduatesbyAwardClass 16

1.5 FirstDestinationsofLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduatesbyFaculty&Gender 18

1.6 FurtherStudyChoicesofLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates2008 20

Section 2 GraduateSalaries

2.1 GraduateSalaries 24

2.2 SalariesbyFacultyforLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 28

2.3 SalariesbyGradeofLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 30

2.4 SalariesbyRegionofEmploymentofLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 31

2.5 SalariesbyGenderforLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 35

2.6 SalariesbyGenderandFacultyforLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 36

2.7 AverageSalariesbyAgeforLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 37

Section 3 RegionalDistributionoEmployedGraduates

3.1 RegionalDistributionofEmployedGraduates 40

Section 4 SectoralDistributionoEmployedGraduates

4.1 SectorofEmploymentbyLevelofAward 46

4.2 SectorofEmploymentbyFacultyforLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduates 49

Section 5 Migration

5.1 Migration 58

Section 6 Education

6.1 HigherandPostgraduateDiplomasinEducation 62

6.2 Level8HonoursBachelorDegreeinEducation 64

6.3 PostgraduateDiplomasinPrimaryTeaching 65

Appendices

AppendixARegionalAuthorities 66

AppendixBFiguresforComparativePurposes 68

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

9/72

List of TablesTable 1.1 First Destinations o Graduates: Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree 1987-2008Table 1.2 First Destinations o Graduates: Level 9 Masters and Level 10 PhD Degrees

1987-2008

Table 1.3 First Destinations o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates by Faculty

and Gender 2008

Table 2.1 Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree 2008 Graduate Salaries by Faculty

Table 2.2 Salaries by Faculty and Gender, Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

Table 4.1 Key Employment Sectors by Level o Award or Graduates Employed in the

Republic o Ireland

Table 4.2 Key Employment Sectors by Level o Award or Graduates Employed Overseas

Table 4.3 Key Employment Sectors by Faculty or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree

Graduates Employed in the Republic o Ireland

Table 4.4 Key Employment Sectors by Faculty or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree

Graduates Employed Overseas

Table 5.1 County Retention Rates

Table 6.1 Graduates o Level 8 Higher Diploma and Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma in

Education Graduates, 2002-2008

Table 6.2 First Destinations o Level 8 Higher Diploma and Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma

in Education Graduates, by Discipline o Primary Degree 2008

Table 6.3 Graduates o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree in Education, 2001-2008

Table 6.4 First Destination o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree in Education Graduates

Table 6.5 First Destination o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree in Education Graduates

2001-2008

Table 6.6 First Destinations o Graduates o Postgraduate Diplomas in Primary Teaching

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

10/72

List of FiguresFigure 1.1 FDR Vs CSO Seeking Employment Rates 2009Figure 1.2 First Destinations o Graduates at Level 8 to Level 10, 2008

Figure 1.3 First Destinations o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates by Award

Class 2008

Figure 1.4 2008 Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates Continuing to Further Study

by Faculty o Origin

Figure 1.5 Faculties Chosen or Further Study by Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

o Arts, Social Science and Humanities, Science and Commerce and Business

Studies Faculties 2008

Figure 2.1 Level 6 Higher/University Certicate, Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor Degree and

Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree 2008 Graduate Salaries

Figure 2.2 Level 8 Higher Diploma and Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma Graduate Salaries

Figure 2.3 Level 9 Taught Masters, Research Masters and Level 10 PhD Graduate Salaries

Figure 2.4 Salaries by Grade or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

Figure 2.5 Salaries by Region o Employment or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

Figure 2.6 Salaries by Gender or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

Figure 2.7 Average Salaries by Age or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

Figure 3.1 Region o Employment o Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor Degree and Level 8 Honours

Bachelor Degree Graduates

Figure 3.2 Region o Employment o Level 8 Higher Diploma and Level 9 Postgraduate

Diploma Graduates

Figure 3.3 Region o Employment o Level 9 Taught Masters, Research Masters and Level 10

PhD Graduates

Figure 5.1 Origin o Graduates by County vs. Employed Graduates by County or Level 8

Honours Bachelor Degree Graduates

Figure 6.1 First Destinations o Level 8 Higher Diploma and Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma in

Education Graduates

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

11/72

Denition of TermsFDRFirst Destinations Report: First Destination is dened as the position o a graduate nine

months ater graduation.

Full-time

A ull-time student is dened as a student attending an intramural day course at a third-

level institution extending over at least a ull academic year and leading to a third-level

(or higher) award, and devoting their entire working time to their academic studies so ar

as is known.

Part-time

Part-time students include students (other than ull-time students) attending intramural

courses extending over at least a ull academic year and leading to a third-level (or higher)

award.

Academic Year

The Academic Year generally extends rom late autumn to early summer, though the

specic dates between institutions vary.

Intra-mural

Intra-mural courses are courses oered within the walls o a third-level institution.

Extra-mural courses include courses oered via distance learning and e-learning.

Graduate

A graduate is a ormer student who has successully completed a course o study in the

previous academic year (it includes students who have completed their nal exams/thesis

submission but who have yet to ormally receive their parchment rom their institution).

RegionWhile graduates indicate their county o origin and (or employed graduates) their county

o employment, in many cases a breakdown by county o results is misleading due to small

populations in certain counties. To ameliorate this some tables and graphs aggregate county

data to regional data. The regions match those used by the Central Statistics Oce (CSO).

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

12/72

0

Faculty

Faculty represents a broad discipline a graduate completed a course in, such as Arts

and Social Science.

Occupation

Occupation describes the nature o the work an employed graduate perorms,

such as Teaching Proessional or Business Proessional.

Employment Sector

Employment Sector describes which part o the labour market employed the graduate,

such as Business, Finance & Insurance Services, or Personal & Recreational Services.

Higher/University Certifcate Awards (Level 6)Higher/University Certicates are courses approved by the Higher Education and Training

Awards Council (HETAC), those Institutes o Technology with delegated authority rom

HETAC, and the Dublin Institute o Technology (DIT). They replace the ormer National

Certicate awards and DIT Certicate awards.

Ordinary Bachelor Degree Awards (Level 7)

Ordinary Bachelor Degrees are courses approved by the Higher Education and Training

Awards Council (HETAC), those Institutes o Technology with delegated authority rom

HETAC, and the Dublin Institute o Technology (DIT). They replace the ormer National

Diploma and DIT Diploma awards.

Honours Bachelor Degree Awards (Level 8)

These awards are the equivalent o Primary Degrees (e.g. B.A. Hons, BSc. Hons) available

prior to the introduction o the National Qualications Framework.

Postgraduate Diplomas & Higher Diplomas

Postgraduate & Higher Diplomas are conversion courses, usually o one years duration, aimed

at Honour Bachelor Degree graduates. They are oten vocational in nature (thereby providing

students with training directly applicable to the labour market). They are a method o

addressing skills shortages in various employment sectors.

Higher Degree Awards

Recipients o Masters and PhD level awards.

National Framework o Qualifcations (NFQ)

Third level courses are now included on the NFQ. The institutions are nalising allocating NFQ

levels to each o their courses, and this is now refected in the language used in this report.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

13/72

Unavailable or work/urther study

Graduates in the above category cannot pursue a career or urther study due to taking

a year (or longer) to travel, domestic circumstances, illness, etc.

Award Class

Award Class reers to the quality o award earned by a student. Pass is the lowest award,

ollowed by 2H2, 2H1, and H1 (when considering Primary Degrees). A small amount o

other award classes exist; these have either been integrated into the above classes

or excluded.

Education Graduates

Graduates o Higher Diplomas in Education and Primary Degrees in Education are excluded

rom detailed analysis in these reports as only basic inormation is available (the institutions

oering these courses do not have the resources available to larger institutions). Education

graduates are included in Tables 1.1 and 1.2 as per previous years. Supplementary reports

on these graduates based on what inormation is available are presented in Appendix 1.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

14/72

Section 1First Destinationof Graduates

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

15/72

Key Points

n The ull eects o the recession are beginning to be refected in this data as

students were surveyed at the beginning o 2009.

n The proportion o Level 8 graduates in 2008 in employment is 50% while

the proportion seeking work is 10%.

n The proportion o Higher Degree graduates in employment remained robust

in 2008 with 63% employed in Ireland or overseas.

n More emale than male Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree graduates gained

employment nine months ater graduation.

n Level 8 Arts and Humanities graduates were most likely to pursue some orm

o urther study in 2008.

1

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

16/72

1.1 First Destinations of Graduates 1987-2008

Tables 1.1 and 1.2 show the pattern o rst destination o graduates rom three dierent award levels

over the period 1987 to 20081.

Table1.1FirstDestinationoGraduatesLevel8HonoursBachelorDegree1987-2008

HonoursBachelorDegree 1987(%) 1992(%) 1997(%) 2002(%) 2006(%) 2007(%) 2008(%)

In Employment - Ireland 33% 32% 45% 50% 53% 51% 45%

In Employment - Overseas 23% 11% 13% 7% 5% 4% 5%

Further Studies/Training 36% 48% 37% 34% 33% 36% 34%

Work Experience Schemes 3% 1% 1%

Seeking Employment 4% 6% 2% 4% 2% 3% 10%

Unavailable or Work/Study 2% 1% 3% 6% 6% 6% 6%

There was no Work Experience Schemes category or these years Includes graduates engaging in Further Studies/Training overseas (in addition to Ireland)

Table 1.1 demonstrates a consistent increase in employment rates rom 1987 to 2006 and while there

was a suggestion o a slight decline rom 2006 to 2007 this has become much more pronounced in

2008 refecting a deepening o the recession or graduates o Honours Bachelor Degrees. High

percentages o graduates pursued urther studies between 1987 and 1992. These rates dropped rom

1992 to 2006 but ater a slight recovery in 2007 those numbers have once again dropped in 2008.

The proportion o Level 8 graduates seeking employment in 2008 has increased dramatically to 10%.

The proportion o respondents who were unavailable or work or study has remained constant over

the last number o years. A possible explanation or this trend is the growing popularity o gap years

taken by newly qualied graduates to travel, volunteer, or do both.

Table1.2FirstDestinationoGraduatesLevel9MastersandLevel10PhDDegrees1987-2008

HigherDegreesMastersandPhD 1987(%) 1992(%) 1997(%) 2002(%) 2006(%) 2007(%) 2008(%)

In Employment - Ireland 59% 58% 62% 62% 66% 65% 54%

In Employment - Overseas 26% 20% 18% 14% 9% 9% 9%

Further Studies/Training 9% 10% 12% 13% 15% 14% 16%

Work Experience Schemes 0% 1% 1%

Seeking Employment 4% 8% 3% 6% 4% 5% 12%

Unavailable or Work/Study 2% 2% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8%

There was no Work Experience Schemes category or these years Includes graduates engaging in Further Studies/Training overseas (in addition to Ireland)

1 Calendar years reer to the year o graduation. Survey data presents the situation o graduates as o April o the

ollowing year.

Section 1First Destination of Graduates

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

17/72

Table 1.2 shows a sharp drop in overall employment levels in 2008 refecting the experiences o

those graduating at level 8. Levels o urther study over the time period show a slight increase.

The rates o graduates seeking employment have also increased. The percentage o graduates

unavailable or work or study has steadily risen, mirroring the trend or Level 8 graduates.

Both tables reveal similar experiences with regard to employment and seeking employment.

These gures refect the deepening o the recession in 2009 or graduates.

1.2 First Destination Report (FDR) Seeking Employment Ratesversus Central Statistics Ofce (CSO) Unemployment Rates1998-2009

Figure 1.1 demonstrates the national unemployment rate (CSO) compared to the rate o graduates

seeking employment2 between 1999 and 2009.

Figure1.1FDR3vsCSO4SeekingEmploymentRates2009

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

20092008200720062005200420032002200120001999

CSO FDR

Source: CSO Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS)

Figure 1.1 shows that while third level graduates still enjoy somewhat higher rates o employmentthan the wider population those seeking employment have increased in tandem with the overall rise

in unemployment levels. Applicants in possession o a third level qualication, while not immune rom

the economic downturn, still retain a clear advantage when seeking employment.

2 The seeking employment rate represents the percentage o the total respondents (excluding those employed

overseas) seeking employment.

3 The 1999 gures reer to the situation o the class o 1998 as on the 30th o April 1999. This convention is

ollowed or the remaining years.

4 CSO unemployment rates rom 1999-2009 are rom the second quarter gures published in the CSOs QuarterlyNational Household Survey (QNHS).

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

18/72

1.3 First Destinations of Graduates by Level of Award

This section reviews the rst destination o graduates by level o award5.

Figure1.2FirstDestinationoGraduatesatLevel8toLevel10,2008

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Unvailable for Work/StudySeeking EmploymentFurther StudyGained Employment

Level 8 Honours Degree Level 8/9 Higher Diploma/Postgraduate Diploma

Level 9/10 Masters Degree and PhD

Figure 1.2 illustrates the contrasts in employment prospects and further study rates for all levels of award.

Exactly hal o Level 8 graduates ound employment while 34% pursued urther study. 10% o these

graduates continue to seek employment. The distribution o Higher/Postgraduate Diploma graduates

is very similar to those Honours Bachelor Degree graduates. With high levels o unemployment urther

study is a popular option. Masters and PhD graduates show the highest level o employment, however

limited opportunities towards urther study exist or these graduates as is refected in the data.

1.4 First Destinations of Level 8 Honours Bachelor DegreeGraduates by Award Class

Figure1.3FirstDestinationsoLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduatesbyAwardClass2008

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

AllGraduates

All OtherAward Classes

Pass2H22H11H

Employed Studying Seeking employment Unavailable for work

All Other Award Classes reer to Merit, 3H, Unclassied, & Other Honours

5 Graphs rom previous reports omitted in this section are available in the appendices.

Section 1First Destination of Graduates

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

19/72

Figure 1.3 illustrates the continued high levels o employment or all award levels o Honours

Bachelor Degree graduates. Those graduates awarded a pass degree demonstrate the highest

levels o employment at 81% whereas those who received a rst class (1H) degree had the

lowest levels o employment at 47%. The opposite is true or rates o progression to urther

study. 8% o graduates who were awarded a pass degree continued with studies whereas 43%

o graduates with a 1H degree continued with studies. One actor infuencing this trend is the high

level o awards required to go on to postgraduate study (generally a 2.1 in a Level 8 degree, though

this can vary depending on demand, alternative assessment methods and the level at which urther

study is pursued).

Similar contrasts can also be seen in previous editions o this report which also showed that those

graduates with a higher grade level are more likely to continue on with studies, while those obtainingPass results are more likely to progress straight to the labour market.

A key point is that the rates o seeking employment or all grade levels which relatively low at

between 4% and 13%. This illustrates that employment or urther study is obtainable or the majority

o graduates regardless o grade. The highest rate o seeking employment was 13% or graduates

with an All Other Awards degree.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

20/72

1.5 First Destinations of Level 8 Honours Bachelor DegreeGraduates by Faculty and Gender

Table1.3FirstDestinationsoLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduatesbyFacultyand

Gender

Arts,Social

Science&

Humanities Science

Commerce&

BusinessStudies

Medicine,

Dentistry&

Paramedical

Studies

M F M F M F M F

Gained Employment % 29.9 38.5 36.1 47.8 46.2 52.8 91.3 89.4

Seeking Employment % 11.1 7.4 11.9 6.8 8.5 4.6 2.3 2.7

Further Study % 51.8 47.0 46.5 40.1 40.1 37.9 2.9 4.8

Not Available % 7.1 7.1 5.5 5.2 5.3 4.7 3.5 3.1

Table 1.3 shows that more emales than males gained employment ater graduation in the majority

o aculties. Males, on the other hand, have higher rates o urther study than emales or almost all

aculties; despite the tendency o emales to do better academically than males. Seeking employment

rates are generally higher or males than or emales.

Section 1First Destination of Graduates

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

21/72

Engineering Law Agriculture

Veterinary

Medicine Architecture

FoodScience&

Technology

M F M F M F M F M F M F

47.8 49.7 13.9 18.5 45.2 44.4 100.0 88.2 52.6 61.1 46.8 47.8

17.1 12.3 9.8 8.1 9.7 5.6 0.0 0.0 18.5 19.5 9.3 4.3

29.9 32.2 71.7 67.7 41.9 44.4 0.0 5.0 14.5 5.5 43.7 40.2

5.2 5.8 4.6 5.6 3.2 5.6 0.0 5.9 14.5 13.8 0.0 7.6

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

22/72

0

1.6 Further Study Choices of Level 8 Honours Bachelor DegreeGraduates 2008

Fig1.42008Level8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduatesContinuingtoFurtherStudyby

FacultyoOrigin

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

EducationAgricultureFood

Science &Technology

Medicine,

Dentistry &Paramedical

Studies

EngineeringLawCommerce

and BusinessStudies

ScienceArts,

Social Scienceand Humanities

Figure 1.4 shows that at 44%, the largest proportions o graduates who continue to urther study

or education originate rom the Arts, Social Science and Humanities aculty. This is signicantly

higher than graduates rom any other discipline and may be due to the perception that this is the

most general qualication and whilst this provides a stepping stone, pursing a second more ocused

qualication improves their prospects in the employment market.

Section 1First Destination of Graduates

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

23/72

Fig1.5FacultiesChosenorFurtherStudybyLevel8HonoursBachelorDegreeGraduateso

Arts,SocialScienceandHumanities,ScienceandCommerceandBusinessStudiesFaculties2008

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

UnknownAgricultureEducationMedicine,Dentistry &

ParamedicalStudies

Higher/Grad

Diplomain

Education

EngineeringLawScienceCommerceand

BusinessStudies

Arts,Social

Scienceand

Humanities

Arts, Social Science and Humanities Commerce and Business Studies Science

Fig 1.5 presents the aculties o choice or urther education or 2008 graduates o the ollowing

aculties:

n Arts, Social Science & Humanities

n Science

n Commerce & Business Studies

These aculties were chosen as Figure 1.4 indicates that these aculties once again supplied the vast

majority o graduates continuing on to urther study.

Honours Bachelor Degree holders rom these aculties show a strong tendency to engage in urther

study in their original aculties but Science graduates are more likely to change discipline. However, as

might be expected, movement into the other more specialised aculties such as Science or Engineering(where either a background qualication or conversion qualication may be required) is limited.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

24/72

Section 2Graduate Salaries

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

25/72

2Key Points

n Graduates with higher qualications continue to report higher initial salaries,

especially at postgraduate levels.

n The most common salary band or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree 2008

employed graduates (Ireland and abroad) was 21,000 - 24,999.

n The most common salary o Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree graduates

working in Dublin was between 17,000 and 20,999. That was also the

most common salary band or Level 8 graduates employed in Ireland.

n Females are more likely than males to earn lower initial salaries, what is

particularly visible in the extreme salary brackets. Despite the act that

males still earn higher initial salaries the distance between genders in this

regard is smaller.

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

26/72

2.1 Graduate Salaries

This section outlines the reported salaries o employed graduates nine months ater graduation,

at all levels o award, or those employed in the Republic o Ireland. The salary data is that reported

by graduates themselves in the course o completing the survey and is not measured or veried.

Some caution should thereore be taken when interpreting the results. It is important to note that

response rates or this section o the graduate survey are very low.

Undergraduate Qualifcations

Figure 2.1 illustrates the reported salaries o those who graduated in 2008 with a Level 6 Higher/

University Certicate, Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor Degree or Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree.

The most common salary or graduates o Higher/University Certicates in 2008 ell in the 45,000+

band. The percentage o Higher/University Certicate graduates whose salaries ell within the higher

brackets was signicant with 69.8% o those earning more than 25,000 and 57.1% earning more

than 33,000 (mainly due to the 23.8% in the highest band).

The most common salary band or graduates with an Ordinary Bachelor Degree in 2008 was 29,000

to 32,999 (15.8%). Almost 62% o those who graduated with an Ordinary Bachelor Degree in 2008

earned more than 25,000, while 35% earned more than 33,000.

The most common salary band or Honours Bachelor Degree 2008 graduates was the 21,000

24,999 bracket. 55.4% earned more than 25,000 upon graduation.

It could be expected that due to the economic recession a proportion o 2008 graduates may not be

gaining employment relevant to their qualication and this may aect their salaries.

Section 2Graduate Salaries

8/2/2019 2008 UCD

27/72

Figure2.1Level6HigherandUniversityCertifcate,Level7OrdinaryBachelorDegreeand

Level8HonoursBachelorDegree2008GraduateSalaries

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

45,0

00

+

41

,000

-44,9

99

37

,000

-40,9

99

33

,000

-36,9

99

29

,000

-32,9

99

25

,000

-28,9

99

21

,000

-24,9

99

17

,000

-20,9

99

13

,000

-16,9

99