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This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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First Destination of graduates and Diplomates in Scotland 2001-02

11/12/2003

Statistics on First Destination of Graduates and Diplomates from Higher Education inScotland: 2001-02were released today. These figures provide information on known first destinations of higher education graduates and diplomates fromScotland's Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges covering the period 1994-95 to 2001-02. These figures supersede those published by the Executive in January 2003.

The main findings are:-

·Of those who responded to the survey, over half (59 per cent) had obtained permanent or temporary employment in theUKwhile a further 3 per cent obtained employment overseas.

·Over a quarter of all graduates and diplomates (27%) continued in study/training. Just under half (49 per cent) of all students who obtained a sub-degree level qualification continued in study/training.

·Students who qualified in Maths and Computing were most likely to continue in full-time education. More than 6 in 10 students who qualified in Subjects Allied to Medicine obtained permanentUKemployment.Almost 8 in 10 Medicine and Dentistry graduates found temporaryUKemployment in 2001-02.

·Graduates and diplomates from Language courses were most likely to obtain overseas employment with 10 per cent doing so. They were followed jointly by graduates from Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences with 5 per cent .

·Of those students gaining permanentUKemployment after qualifying in 2001-02, 31 per cent gained employment in the Health Social and Community Work sector, with 23 per cent gaining employment in the Finance sector.

·Of those graduates and diplomates who gained permanentUKor overseas employment after qualifying in 2001-02, 77 per cent gained employment inScotland.

The figures in this press release are based on data collected through the Examination Results & First Destination (FDG) survey. This survey is conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), and the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) for Further Education Colleges (FECs). Prior to 1 July 1999, the (former) Scottish Office Education and Industry Department undertook data collection from the Further Education Colleges.

This news release contains destination information on students, from both Further and Higher Education Institutions, who successfully completed predominantly full-time higher education courses inScotland. Higher education courses are defined as those at HNC/HND level and above. The data typically refers to the destination of students six months after graduation.

The FDG Survey is a voluntary survey of all students from all European Union countries who have successfully completed their course. Details are requested about the graduate or diplomate's destination on 31 December (or any definite arrangements starting by 31 March) following the end of the academic session in which they qualified.

The definition of temporaryUKemployment used in this publication isgraduates and diplomates who gain employment which is expected to cease before 30 September in the year after graduation. Changes to the arrangements for the initial employment of teaching graduates inScotlandwith the introduction of the Teacher Induction Scheme has led to most teaching graduates going into employment falling into this category. Previously such graduates would have served a two year probationary period and would have fallen into the permanentUKemployment category.

In each of the past two years SFEFC has changed the methodology used to identify graduates and diplomates from FECs. The result of this has been a reduction in the reported number of graduates and diplomates from FECs and an increase in the number of continuing students. Higher education graduates and diplomates from FECs account for approximately one quarter of all higher education graduates and diplomates. These are mainly at the sub-degree level. The effects on the percentages shown in this publication are likely to be minimal.

In 1996-97 Nursing students were absorbed into the Higher Education Institution sector, and counted in returns for the first time in that year.

Information from the Open University inScotlandis excluded from this news release.

This release gives data for a number of years to allow trends to be identified more easily. In doing this, subject data has been reclassified, and so may no longer agree with previously published data. Where this is the case, this news release should be assumed to supersede any previous publications.

This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

Further Information

For further information on these figures and other information on statistics covering lifelong learning inScotlandyou can contact the following:

Enquiries to fhestatistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Statistics home page - www.scotland.gov.u k/stats/

Publications:

Higher Education Graduates and Diplomates inScotland: 2001-02 Nov 2003

www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00302-00.asp

Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland 2001-02July 2003

www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00270-00.asp

Students in Higher Education inScotland, 2001-02May 2003

www.scotland.gov .uk/stats/bulletins/00260-00.asp

Students in Higher Education Institutions inScotland, 2001-02Mar 2003

www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/b ulletins/00248-00.asp

Page updated: Wednesday, July 21, 2004