UK Graduates should study abroad to get High Paid Jobs
UK graduates are missing out on high-flying international jobs because fewer of them are choosing to study abroad as part of their degree.
New research presented today by the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) found that international businesses are increasingly seeking graduates who have a global awareness, particularly those who have the initiative to study overseas as part of their learning.
Graduates who have studied abroad tend to be more culturally aware, able to work in multicultural teams and move around the world as part of their career. But UK graduates are less competitive in the international job market as they are now less likely to study overseas than they used to.
The report – Global Horizons and the Role of Employers – calls for better support from universities and funding bodies to help UK students gain experience of studying abroad.
A survey of international graduates as part of the report, showed they think they are more likely to have higher paid jobs at more senior positions and spend less time seeking those jobs either than UK graduates or those in their home country who did not travel to the UK.
Richard Brown, chief executive of the CIHE, said: “The UK can be the preferred worldwide location for mobile students and global recruiters. “Businesses consider that the UK develops some of the best graduates in the world. But our home-grown ones need to get that wider global perspective.”
“Universities could help by developing more partnerships with overseas universities that involve more student and staff exchanges,” he added.
Launching the report, Keith Dugdale, director of global recruitment at KPMG, said: “KPMG like many other UK firms recruits globally. We want the best wherever they may be.
“The UK develops some great talent. It attracts some of the best from around the world. We will recruit that talent but to remain competitive we want to see more UK graduates developing a global perspective through international experience.
“They will have to work with global clients and mix with a range of people from different cultures. They have to be at home with cultural differences.”