Queen Mary graduate employability stats reveal our unique approach helps students get ahead

The rapid pace of disruptive change in contemporary work environments is a struggle many workplaces are continuing to come to terms with. Encouragingly, Queen Mary’s most recent employability statistics (according to the Graduates Outcomes Survey 2020) show we are preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s workplace.

• Fifteen months after graduation, 90% of Queen Mary graduates are in work or further study. (Graduate outcome survey 2021)
• Overall, 93 per cent of all our graduates are in employment or further study
• Of this, 82 per cent are in highly skilled jobs
• 95 per cent of postgraduate and PhD graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating
• 93 per cent of undergraduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating.

A look at what’s behind these figures reveals not only our graduates’ skills and motivation, but also our approach to career development.

A different approach

Career development at Queen Mary is comprehensive, and can be broken down into four distinct strands:

1. Skills acquisition through work experience

This includes real-world consultancy projects, internships, temping opportunities and funding for start-ups.

2. Extra-curricular activities through the Queen Mary Students’ Union

These activities help students enhance their CVs and develop skills through societies and student media. Employers view this as evidence of being proactive on top of the demands of a degree.

3. Resources and services that enable students to show their passion and motivation

Students are urged to take full advantage of networking events, employer events and alumni panels, career advice workshops, and mentoring, work shadowing and experience.  Prospective students can also connect with our Alumni network and ask questions, even prior to making a final university choice.

4. Skills and experience acquired at a degree level

Many of our degrees include a placement year option, year abroad option, or have industrial placements embedded. Employment stats reveal that there are hugely encouraging outcomes for students who do a year abroad, with year abroad students 20 per cent less likely to be out of work and 10 per cent more likely to be in a graduate job six months after graduation.

In 2015, Queen Mary became one of the first Higher Education Institutions in the UK to deliver Degree Apprenticeships. These give students access to the very best of higher and vocational education through a combination of on-the-job-training and academia.

How our graduates stand out

The Careers and Enterprise Service offers funding opportunities for budding entrepreneurs – many of whom go on to make a real impact.

• Jamie Crummie received a ‘Grow It’ award in 2016 to launch his app ‘Too Good To Go’, a social enterprise that enables restaurants with unused food at the end of the day to sell it to customers at a reduced price.
• Jessica Abis founded the QM Entrepreneurs Society during her time at Queen Mary University and received a ‘Grow It’ award to set up a brownie company with her mother, 100% Natural Foods.
• Ross Ward won a £10,000 ‘Built It’ award to set up his company Motus Innovations, a medical technology start-up. Its first product will use robotic technology to improve recovery outcomes in patients following a stroke.

Employers’ views

According to a report, Queen Mary ranked 19th for universities targeted by the largest number of top employers in 2019-2020.

The report surveyed the UK’s one hundred best-known and largest graduate employers, looking at the graduate market and graduate hiring trends.  Our ranking demonstrates the quality of our graduates compared with competitors.

• Learn more about our Careers and Enterprise service.