
Meet the Brum grads who can’t get a job
Funemployment, without the fun part
Grad job season is here, and it’s no secret that Birmingham University has recently been announced as University of the Year for Graduate Employment.
This comes just two years after being named University of the Year for 2013 – 2014, with Birmingham also rising to number 17 in the league tables. It seems like there’s no better time to be a Brum grad.
If only our grads could actually get jobs.
Off to my grad job, lol jk
Alastair McCall, editor of The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “The fact that work placements are embedded in so many courses, coupled with the University’s outstanding academic reputation, makes it no surprise that Birmingham is one of the “go to” places for graduate employers.”
That being said, many grads are still sofa surfing in Selly, combatting unemployment by trying to relive the student dream.
He doesn’t need to know I’m unemployed
Bradley, a recent History grad said, “I’ve been searching for grad jobs non stop since last October and got nothing so far, despite having a high 2:1 in my degree. It seems like an undergraduate isn’t worth a lot nowadays, but I thought coming from University of the Year for graduate employment would improve my chances a little bit.”
Jayne, a third year Business Management and Spanish student revealed her fear of unemployment: “If I don’t have a job by the time I graduate I don’t know how I’m going to support myself. I may have to move back home, which is going to make it even harder for me to be available for interviews in cities. I may have to get a retail job to be able to afford the cost of living whilst I look for a career, which seems like a waste of my degree.”
If you don’t have a job I feel bad for you son, I’ve got 99 problems and graduate employment is one
But is the shortage of grad employment caused by competition for limited places or a lack of trying?
Marcus, a recent Sport and Exercise Science graduate said, “I graduated back in July and now I’m working at Game. I’m not too fussed about finding a job at the minute, grad jobs will always be there unless we’re hit by an astroid tomorrow. They’ll still be around when I’m ready to start properly looking for something.”
Marcus’ optimistic outlook isn’t felt by everyone though. Sarah, a current third year English with Creative Writing student and soon-to-be-grad expressed her worries for the future: “I recently applied for a job at Nando’s, and after a five hour assessment day they just parred me off. How does this reflect my possibility of getting a grad job by the end of the year if I’m not even qualified to grill peri peri chicken?”
Alastair McCall went on to say, “Winning our University of the Year for Graduate Employment award is testimony to the work done by the University to ensure its graduates leave ready to make an immediate and significant contribution to workplaces regionally, nationally and internationally.”
Brum grads are ready to make an immediate contribution to the world of work Alastair, as soon as someone gives them a job.