News digest #4

Student recruitment and development

Research found that overall, there is a preference for work in large organisations after graduation, with only 14% of graduates surveyed preferring to work for an SME, reported the ISE.
There is evidence that the values of today’s graduates tend to orientate towards higher purpose, with a report from Deloitte revealing that “younger generations want to work for companies with a purpose beyond profit”, writes Steve Mowforth from the Coventry University Talent Team.

Reporters reflect how women are still overwhelmingly over-represented in low-paid, low-status jobs, a so-called horizontal segregation on International Women’s Day 2022.
A new study reveals that over a third of tradeswomen (89%) aren’t taken seriously as a result of their gender, and one in seven (15%) had had safety concerns at work.
Lorraine Kelly sparks fierce debate about classism and class divides at work when she swore on morning television.

Students in England are being hit by stealth cuts and tax rises by the government as they use high inflation to “quietly tighten the financial screws”.
Is a degree still a good investment? New student loan rules will see graduates paying their loans well into their 60’s. In the long run, nurses will pay more than bankers.
The National Audit Office found that there is a sharp rise in the number of universities in deficit. The study highlights how the higher education sector has been under increasing financial strain, and Covid-19 has only added to the pressure.
A new study found that over a third of UK students said that the pandemic had an impact on either their degree or university choices reported the ISE.
A new study highlights that those who had undertaken higher education are significantly less likely to develop dementia in their 40’s and 50’s.
The ‘stealthy’ change in student loan terms is set to have huge impacts on students, effectively contributing to inflation and stagnating potential wage growth.

The Ukraine conflict looks likely to push up energy prices even further, with knock-on effects leading to worsening cost of living crisis for students.
British people are reportedly willing to suffer financial hardship in the coming months as the UK economy takes a hit from the Ukraine crisis, in solidarity with Ukrainians under attack from Putin’s regime.
Ukraine war labelled as a ‘catastrophe’ for the global economy as stock markets plunge this week.
Britain relies too heavily on London and other major cities for skills and high wage jobs. The Government’s Levelling Up White Paper was a “stark reminder” of the regional inequalities faced by young people each day, and highlight apprenticeships as the way forward to end regional jobs gaps for young people.
Many college graduates may be caught unaware of the cost of living as the finish university, creating potential for financial instability and poor financial health.