Accounting is proving to be the top career for graduates coming out of UK universities, it has been revealed by a recent report.
According to the study commissioned by High Fliers, the job market for university leavers is in general good health too.
Graduate jobs surge
According to the findings of the market research company report, the number of positions being advertised for graduates has increased by 12%, putting it at the same level as before the recession and with greater numbers hired than companies had been forecasting.
It is also the biggest increase in grad employment in four years. The number of graduates in the country has increased significantly over recent years, making the news even more promising for the state of the economy.
UK employment rise
The news comes as official figures show that the number of people out of work in the UK has continued to drop. According to the data, there are currently 2.1million unemployed in the UK, which is the lowest number since 2008.
For graduates, there are more jobs available at the best firms too. According to the report, the top firms in the UK have 190 jobs on average for university leavers, with a third increasing their graduate recruitment programs remit for this year.
Count to the top
The highest number of positions for graduates are in the accounting and professional services sector. The report found that there was a 24% increase in the number of new graduates being taken in this sector, including employment by dedicated outsourced accounting services.
Indicative of an increasing culture for outsourcing, it is giving people the chance to really focus and concentrate on a professional career rather than just a job. The popularity of the job is also allowing accounting services for small businesses to be far more accessible.
The report surmises:
“These latest results mark a very welcome improvement in the graduate job market and suggest that graduate recruitment at the leading employers is now at its highest level for seven years.”
Tough at the top
The number of people seeking a career in accountancy may be on the increase but, the report suggests, the quality of worker is improving all the time. For every job in the sector, there are about 40 applications.
This is making people focus more on their studies too, with the top firms in the UK not hiring anyone without the minimum of an upper-second-class degree.
With the boss of High Fliers, Martin Birchall, saying that the report is “great news” for this year’s university leavers, the encouraging revelations look set to continue with most companies saying they will look to take on more staff over the next 12 months.