NUI Galway today (Wednesday, 12 October) announced very positive findings on the jobs front for its graduates with some 96.8% of graduates currently are not seeking employment, the best figure in the higher education sector in Ireland. With national unemployment figures at 14.5%, only 3.2% of the NUI Galway class of 2009/2010 are actively seeking employment.

The number of NUI Galway graduates going directly into employment during this period was 47.5%, up 4% on the previous year, with a significant percentage going on to further studies. The data comes from an annual survey of almost 4,000 graduates on NUI Galway full-time programmes, conducted nine months after graduation.

John Hannon, Head of the Careers Development Centre at NUI Galway, commented: “This survey gives an invaluable insight into employment opportunities. The Standardised Unemployment Rate is more than four times that of NUI Galway. We are delighted to have such positive news and to see that NUI Galway graduates are valued and sought after by employers. Graduates are our future leaders and their ‘get-up-and-go’ attitude, skills and knowledge can generate the enterprise and innovation required to boost Ireland’s economic recovery.”

The challenging economic climate in recent years has led to increased numbers embarking on postgraduate study. Again the statistics for NUI Galway are positive, with just over 3% of graduates from postgraduate programmes seeking employment.

Mr Hannon added: "NUI Galway statistics are very positive when compared to the national average. However, we cannot forget how challenging the current economic climate actually is for graduates who are looking for employment. It is gratifying to see that graduates who have invested in postgraduate diplomas, masters and PhDs not only enhance their learning but increased their employability. At NUI Galway we place a lot of emphasis on developing employability skills. Many of our newest courses were developed in partnership with industry and specifically to fill a skills gap in the market. We also provide students with additional opportunities for learning in a real world context through work placment, volunteering and community outreach, giving our graduates additional evidence that they have the personal and academic attributes sought by employers.”

Sancha Mulcahy, HR Manager with Deloitte, said: “Deloitte is looking for people who feel energised working in a team, who are innovative thinkers and who set high standards for themselves. Graduates of NUI Galway possess the knowledge and skills required to succeed in a firm like Deloitte. We are delighted to be able to offer over 200 graduate positions this year, which is a significant increase on last year. As a result, we expect to see an increase in the number of NUI Galway graduates joining Deloitte.  The positions will be available to graduates from a range of disciplines, including business, accounting, engineering, science, IT and legal backgrounds amongst others.”

-ENDS-