Graduate prospects are diminishing as their debts soar

Commenting on the latest figures published today (Tuesday) by the Office for National Statistics on graduates in the labour market, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“While university leavers are still better paid and more likely to have a job than non-graduates of the same age, their prospects are worsening, just as their debts are soaring.

“Having got themselves tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt, nearly half of all recent graduates are doing lower-skilled jobs. This is in turn pushing young people who don’t have a degree out of work altogether.

“The government’s approach of making young people pay more to get less from higher education is deeply unfair and makes no economic sense. Ministers should admit that ‘any old job’ is not good enough for heavily-indebted graduates and start prioritising high-quality job creation.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The ONS figures are available at www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_337841.pdf

- The TUC’s campaign plan can be downloaded from www.tuc.org.uk/campaignplan

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

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Liz Chinchen   T: 020 7467 1248    M: 07778 158175    E: media@tuc.org.uk

Rob Holdsworth    T: 020 7467 1372    M: 07717 531150     E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk