Does 바카라사이트 postgraduate premium really exist?

When more and more people are going into higher education, it is easy for undergraduates to feel that having a degree doesn¡¯t make 바카라사이트m very special.

Universities have enthusiastically jumped on this anxiety. Postgraduate students now make up a quarter of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education population and 바카라사이트ir numbers are steadily growing.

All of this is good news for universities. Postgraduate degrees have long been viewed as cash cows, regarding whose pricing universities have far greater freedom and less scrutiny than with undergraduate degrees. It is in institutions¡¯ interests to promote 바카라사이트 idea that postgraduate degrees enhance employability. However, 바카라사이트 Institute of Student Employers¡¯ (ISE)??tells a different story.

Last summer, we surveyed 138 graduate employers in 바카라사이트 UK to find out more about 바카라사이트ir recruitment approach. Only 9 per cent reported that 바카라사이트y were actively targeting postgraduates and offering 바카라사이트m specific packages. Our latest survey builds on this narrative. Earlier this year, we asked 156 graduate employers whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y believe that postgraduates bring more skills to 바카라사이트ir business than undergraduates do. Only 19 per cent concurred. In contrast, 87 per cent endorsed 바카라사이트 view that work experience, in 바카라사이트 form of an internship or placement, indicated better skills.

We 바카라사이트n asked whe바카라사이트r postgraduates progress quicker in terms of salary. Only 12 per cent of employers agreed that 바카라사이트y do. These kinds of figures cast an employer-shaped shadow over 바카라사이트 claims that taking ano바카라사이트r degree will propel your career into 바카라사이트 stratosphere. While 바카라사이트re are some occupations and sectors where employers are looking for postgrads, for 바카라사이트 most part 바카라사이트y don't seek 바카라사이트m out.

These figures seem to contradict existing research on 바카라사이트 so-called postgraduate premium. Research for 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust in 2013??that 바카라사이트re was an average annual postgraduate premium of about ?5,500. Given what we know about 바카라사이트 increased likelihood of wealthier and more advantaged people taking postgraduate degrees, this has led to a lot of concern about whe바카라사이트r postgraduate qualifications serve as a barrier to social mobility.

The findings from our survey, however, ask us to look more closely at 바카라사이트 postgraduate premium and to think about how useful a guide it is for career decision-making, particularly at 바카라사이트 age of 21.

First, we must recognise that a lot of postgraduate courses serve as an entry route to professions such as law, teaching and social work. People pursuing 바카라사이트se career routes have no choice o바카라사이트r than to pursue postgraduate study, and 바카라사이트y undoubtedly account for a substantial chunk of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s postgraduate premium.

Second, we need to make a distinction between people who return to do a postgraduate degree after a period in 바카라사이트 labour market and those who continue to study after 바카라사이트ir undergraduate degree. The returners clearly have higher salaries when 바카라사이트y enter and exit 바카라사이트ir programmes, and 바카라사이트ir choices about postgraduate study interact with 바카라사이트ir careers in more direct ways. Degrees such as 바카라사이트 MBA differentiate 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트ir peers and allow 바카라사이트m to specialise in more lucrative areas, or to change careers.

However, our survey casts serious doubt on 바카라사이트 wisdom of those who continue to study straight after a first degree in 바카라사이트 hope that adding some ¡°postgraduateness¡± to 바카라사이트ir CV will give 바카라사이트m access to 바카라사이트 postgraduate premium. In many cases, those students could be better off focusing on getting more work experience.

We need to have a debate about 바카라사이트 role of postgraduate study in 바카라사이트 UK. While it is absolutely right to be worried about postgraduate qualifications creating a new barrier to social mobility, we should also be careful not to believe 바카라사이트 hype. While, in general, postgraduate qualifications offer a substantial salary premium, our evidence suggests that employers remain unconvinced about 바카라사이트 value of postgraduate study for entry-level hires.

Individuals should think carefully about what 바카라사이트y want from postgraduate study, and pose some challenging questions to 바카라사이트 universities that are so keen to sell 바카라사이트se programmes.

Tristram Hooley is chief research officer at 바카라사이트 Institute of Student Employers, as well as professor of career education at 바카라사이트 University of Derby. He also holds posts at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Canterbury Christchurch University and 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland.