UK Graduate Job Openings Drop to Their Lowest Level in a Decade

Graduate job opportunities in the UK fell sharply in July, reaching their lowest point since recruitment platform Adzuna began tracking the data in 2016.

Adzuna recorded 8,383 vacancies aimed at university leavers during the month. This was 45% lower than the figure recorded at the same time a year earlier.

The decline comes as a record number of people are expected to begin university in September, adding to concerns about the employment prospects awaiting graduates when they enter the workforce. Entry-level opportunities are also facing increasing pressure as employers adopt artificial intelligence and automation.

The wider youth employment picture remains challenging. Around one million young people in the UK were not in education, employment or training during the first quarter of the year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics cited in the report.

Adzuna said hiring weakened across sectors including healthcare, nursing, hospitality and logistics. The data indicated that an improvement seen earlier in the spring had lost momentum.

The graduate market has changed significantly over the past decade. More than 55,000 graduate positions were available in 2017, compared with the much lower level reported in July.

Employers have also been dealing with higher labour costs following increases in national insurance contributions and the minimum wage. At the same time, some businesses are directing more resources towards automation and AI technologies instead of expanding their workforce.

Not every sector saw a decline. Travel, teaching, trade and construction continued to add graduate opportunities, while manufacturing also showed signs of increased hiring.