Figures show graduates are more likely to be better paid

THE case for reintroducing some form of college fees could be bolstered by latest graduate employment figures showing those with a third-level degree are more likely to be working and to be higher paid.

Although the Higher Education Authority (HEA) statistics relates to those who completed third-level education in 2007 and their status in April 2008, it reports that preliminary statistics for last year’s graduates show they are less likely to be unemployed than the general population.

However, even the class of 2007 figures show signs of the early days of the global recession, as the proportion of degree-holders seeking work nine months after graduation rose by one-third from a year earlier. The figure of 3% looking for employment is low however compared to a 5.5% national unemployment rate at the time, a point the HEA said clearly indicates the advantage of obtaining a third-level qualification before entering the labour market.