A recent survey has shown that newly qualified teachers top the pay league for all graduates and have the best chances of walking directly into a job post qualification.
The survey also indicated that the gender pay gap still remains an issue for graduates. Showing an average difference of €4,000 between young men and women’s salary.
The HEA (Higher Education Authority) survey confirms that the average salary for newly qualified teachers falls in the €38,700 bracket. Exceeding the typical starting salary of those with a degree in Engineering or Computing which is €36,000 – €37,000.
The survey examines salaries across each sector. Giving an average figure which does not highlight the higher salaries earned by graduates in some occupations, such as Law. Though the jobs and monetary return is desirable in the education sector, the latest figures also show an incline in graduate employment prospects generally on the back of the strengthening domestic labour market.
Almost 78% of the class of 2017 were working within nine months after receiving their qualifications. The more qualifications that an individual had, the greater their chances of rapidly receiving employment.
An estimated 90% of working graduates were in Ireland. The most recent survey indicated that the UK was the most popular destination for those that chose to work abroad. Of the remainder, 14% were in Further education or training, 5% were actively looking for work and up to 4% were occupied with other activities such as travelling.
The HEA survey gives us a detailed breakdown of how the class of 2017 were faring in March 2018. It follows a series of similar surveys called First Destinations that focused mainly on the Universities. The HEA survey covers institutes of technology and other colleges and students at all levels of higher education. Graduates were asked what they were doing, where they were working, what were they earning as well as what were their opinions on the course of study. The survey received an excess of 29,000 respondents. Giving us a pretty clear picture. Figures from the survey indicate a higher level of employment and a lower unemployment rate compared with previous years.
An in depth breakdown of the figures shows that 75% of honours degree graduates were working in March 2018, this figure increased to 86% and 91% for those with a post-graduate qualification. There was not much difference in employment outcomes between all graduates of universities and institutes of technology, although graduates from universities tended to have higher salaries. Looking at honours degree graduates alone, graduates from institutes of technology were more likely (80%) to be working to be than those from universities (71%). The survey showed that 22% of university graduates were continuing with their studies.
Higher Education Authority CEO Paul O’Toole said there was “clearly demand in Ireland for the high quality graduates that are coming out from our higher education institutions.
He said, “Skilled graduates are going to continue to be essential for our talent-driven economy and to help meet societal challenges”.
Irish Universities Association director general Jim Miley said given the rapidly growing numbers of students in our universities, “We need to ensure adequate investment in Irish higher education to ensure these positive graduate outcomes can be further enhanced.”
Source: The Independent
Photo: The Independent