Survey finds East of Englandís students expect ìthe full packageî after graduation

ï 1,300 students at East of England universities and higher education colleges surveyed

ï Twice as many want to work in the East of England after their studies than London

ï More than half are considering setting up their own business

A survey of more than 1,300 students across the East of England has found out what they want and expect from the working world after they graduate.

Students from nine universities including the University of East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Cambridge responded to the survey on the East of Englandís free graduate career and recruitment site www.gradseast.org.uk between May and November this year. The findings show that putting down roots and having a good quality of life are just as important to students as climbing the corporate career ladder.

Factors such as enjoying their work and getting real job satisfaction in their chosen career, as well as wanting to work in an area where they already had a strong network of friends and family, were at least as important as a good salary and being swiftly promoted (for a full breakdown of responses to the survey, see Notes to Editors).

Anne Benson, chair of the GradsEast steering group and director of the careers centre at the University of East Anglia, said: ìItís interesting and encouraging to hear that students in the East of England seem to be taking a well-rounded approach to starting their careers, putting as much emphasis on their overall quality of life and happiness as the perhaps more obvious trappings of success. Happy employees who enjoy and feel rewarded by their work are more productive, dedicated and loyal, and this is something that employers in the region may want to bear in mind in order to attract some of the best talent the region has to offer to their company.î

The survey also showed that more than a third (38 per cent) of those surveyed said they hoped to work in the East of England after graduation compared to just 17 per cent who wanted to work in London and 29 per cent who said getting the right job would dictate where they lived.

Ms Benson said: ìThe fact that twice as many students surveyed said they want to work in the East of England after they graduate compared to London is great to hear, and certainly proves that the region has a lot to offer bright and ambitious people. I would still like the figure to be higher however, and the survey results will help GradsEast to understand how we can better retain and attract graduates. Around 40,000 students graduate from universities and higher education colleges in the region each year, and if we can show that the East of England really does have the full package they appear to want, the effect on the regionís economy and business success will be enormous.î

GradsEast also contacted almost 60 businesses from across the region to gauge their opinions of graduate recruits. The results show that, while employers and students agree on many aspects of graduate employment, there are a few crucial differences of opinion and expectation.

Of the 58 employers contacted, almost all (84 per cent) thought opportunities to progress within a company and 60 per cent thought a good salary were important to graduates. This compares with only 42 per cent who thought enjoyable work would be a priority, the top answer (with 54 per cent) from the students.

The 65 per cent of students who said they thought employers wanted enthusiasm in their graduate recruits would seem to be right, as enthusiasm was the highest ranked answer (at 64 per cent) with businesses as well. Surprisingly, less than half (43 per cent) of the employers interviewed thought work experience was important, compared to 65 per cent of students.

It would seem that the East of England is also fostering a generation of would-be entrepreneurs, with more than half (58 per cent) indicating that they were interested in setting up their own business.

Alison Webster, EEDA's executive director of skills and communities, said: Latest research from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows that East of England graduates are more enterprising than anywhere else in the country, so it's great to see more than half of those questioned in this survey are considering setting up in business. This region needs ambitious people with high level skills to support our world class economy - for example in cutting edge R&D, in the hi-tech and biotech industries and in the budgeoning environmental sector. So EEDA is working with universities, employers and others to make it as easy and attractive as possible for graduates to find jobs, or set up in business, here.

GradsEast intends to use the findings of the surveys and interviews to develop and improve its free graduate and student recruitment service for the East of England, which was set up in 2004.

For more information on working in the East of England, including tips for employers and students and graduates, visit: