Study in Wales and you’ll gain the skills you need to flourish in your career. Our universities are committed to producing the most innovative, creative and employable graduates in the UK.
On course for success
Recent figures from Universities Wales show the value of a Welsh degree in the workplace. Six months after leaving, over 90% of graduates are employed or are in further study – a higher proportion than the UK average. Three-and-a-half years after graduation, the vast majority are in full-time work.
Whichever university or course you choose, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to make yourself ready for employment. Each of our institutions has its own initiatives to give you a head start in the search for a rewarding career.
At Glyndŵr University, courses are carefully planned to give you practical experience as well as theoretical knowledge. Cardiff Met aims to give you the EDGE – Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills, delivered via its strong links with industry and the professions. Swansea University has an Employability Academy, with grants available for student clubs to host events that engage with employers.
Through their careers service, all our universities can help you secure an internship or summer placement, meet potential employers and find a permanent role after graduation. The University of South Wales, for example, has CareersConnect – an online system where you can search for opportunities and book places at careers events.
A culture of innovation
If you come up with a world-changing invention or a hot business idea, you’ll be in the right place. Welsh students are the most entrepreneurial in Britain.
Wales has 12.3% of graduate start-up companies in the UK, despite accounting for only 5% of students in higher education. And according to recent figures, 44% of businesses set up in Wales are still trading after five years – which again beats the UK average.
Graduate start-ups can get lots of support from universities in Wales and the Welsh Government, including funding, bursaries, mentoring and working space. Schemes at the individual universities have been very successful at kick-starting innovation. They include AberPreneurs at Aberystwyth, which offers training, one-to-one mentoring and funding to students and graduates starting a business, and also runs regular enterprise events.
The Cardiff University Enterprise and Start-Up Team can help you out for up to five years after you graduate, and run an annual ideas competition. Winners receive a cash injection to develop their plans, so the awards are keenly fought!
For more information about entrepreneurial and start-up support at each university download our Graduate Start-up Guide
