UCLan students top work table

According to national data the University of Central Lancashire has received its best graduate employability score ever.

New figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency show 95.5 per cent of UCLan’s full-time, first-degree graduates based in the UK went into employment or further study within six months of graduating – beating the likes of Oxford and Cambridge.

The national average was 94.6 per cent across the 152 higher education 
institutions.

And, according to the data 100 per cent of UCLan’s dental surgery, adult nursing, children’s nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, physiotherapy and journalism graduates are in work or further study after six months while significant numbers are in social work, law, police roles.

Vice chancellor Professor Mike Thomas said: “This is great news. Having 95.5 per cent of our full-time graduates in employment or further study six months after graduation is a record and is testament to the work we’ve done to ensure our graduates leave with the skills that are needed to meet employers’ demands.

“The working world is evolving but studying for a degree is still one of the best ways of securing employment and a career.

“A degree offers a wide variety of opportunities, not only for learning but for employability and that is why we ensure employability skills are embedded in all our courses.

“Ensuring talented people from all walks of life make the most of their potential and go into employment, often within the North West, is a staple of why we are a major economic anchor in the city, the county and wider region.”

The figure is the best for UCLan since the data became available in 2008/09 when it stood at 88.7 per cent.