The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has reported that 58.8% of university graduates work in unskilled jobs – stating that the UK has reached ‘saturation point’ for availability of skilled jobs.
Ranked by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK has one of the highest rates of graduates working in unskilled jobs, with only Greece and Estonia performing worse.
Peter Cheese, CIPD Chief Executive, said: ‘The assumption that we will transition to a more productive, higher value, higher skilled economy just by increasing the conveyor belt of graduates is proven to be flawed.
‘It’s crucial we as a nation take stock now of whether our higher education system is delivering desired returns for graduates, for organisations, and society.’
The report shows that an over-availability of graduates means that employers are increasingly asking for degrees from applicants for lower-skilled jobs, which may previously have been filled by individuals on apprenticeships.
The CIPD has called for a discussion with the Government to ensure the availability of high-skilled jobs in the UK.