47% of employers struggle to fill graduate-level roles – Universities UK

Nearly half (47%) of employers with vacancies said graduate and equivalent-level roles were the hardest to fill, according to new polling by Universities UK. 

The survey found 81% of employers backed maintaining or growing graduate numbers. 

It also showed 87% of employers said graduates had some or all of the skills they expected.

Professor Malcolm Press, president of Universities UK, said: “Employers clearly value what graduates bring and want to see more of them. 

“Where we need to go further is in making these connections work better, so graduates can move more quickly into the opportunities that exist. 

“Universities and employers working together can make this happen. We’ll share more ideas for how to do this when we publish our Future Jobs Roadmap in July.”

Most employers said they wanted to maintain or increase the number of people going to university, with only 15% believing fewer people should attend. 

The research also found employers wanted universities and businesses to work more closely to prepare graduates for changing workplaces.