National accolade recognises Imperial students' employability

Imperial has been named "University of the Year for Graduate Employment" by a UK university guide this week.

The inaugural Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide places the College at the top of the table for graduate prospects, with 89.2 per cent of graduates going to professional-level jobs or postgraduate study. Imperial was also number one for graduates’ starting salaries, with a calculated average of £31,304.

Welcoming the employability award Professor Debra Humphris, Vice Provost (Education) said:

“Imperial has some of the most talented students in the world, and we’re committed to helping them achieve their full potential. This means providing an educational experience that’s relevant and innovative, often with a significant practical element. We’re helped in this by the relationships we have with international partners beyond the College, whether in industry or healthcare.”     

In an interview for the Times Professor Humphris highlighted the hands-on experience Imperial degrees emphasise, as well as the opportunities for extracurricular development through courses such as Imperial Horizons.

Elspeth Farrar, the Director of the College’s Careers Service, added:  

“Our students are uniquely placed to be targeted by a wide variety of potential employers with Imperial's STEM disciplines developing great analytical, numerical and problem solving skills.  Many of our degree courses use project work and real industry scenarios as part of the curriculum which also contributes to the development of valuable employability skills.

Students with the Careers Service Director at a careers fair

“However, in the current competitive job market a degree alone will not guarantee a graduate level job and at Imperial we are pleased that many students take their career development seriously from the outset, making use of the Careers Service early on, engaging with activities beyond their course of study, and seeking placements and internships.”  

The new guide follows the merger of the Times and Sunday Times individual league tables, and sees Imperial take fifth position in the overall UK university rankings. The employment data used draws on the 2012 Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey, run by the  Higher Education Statistics Agency.