Work experience 'invaluable' to a degree

The vast majority of university leavers on the hunt for a graduate job believe that work experience is an essential accompaniment to a degree, according to a new poll.

A study carried out by Reed, which involved polling nearly 700 university graduates, found that 95 per cent believed work experience was either 'valuable or 'very valuable' when applying for sales recruitment positions and other roles.

Overall, 43 per cent of those surveyed had been given the opportunity to undertake work experience as part of their university education, with the majority of these finding that the opportunity to learn directly from a place of work was of significant benefit.

Mark Rhodes, a spokesman for Reed, said the study shows that the opportunity to gain real world work experience can "significantly enhance" the value of a degree to graduate jobseekers.

"For students who are serious about following a specific career path, finding courses which includes an industrial placement or similar may prove invaluable when it comes to graduation," he advised.

According to the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, the rising number of young people who are unemployed "clearly demonstrates" the need for all students to think about how they can progress successfully in a very competitive graduate job market.

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Posted by Richard Esquilant 

Filed: 25-10-2011