Despite the fact that 95 percent of UK companies plan to hire recent university graduates this year, only one in three employers (23 percent) believe that academic institutions are adequately preparing students for vacant roles in their organisations. 

More than half (54 percent) say universities are preparing students for “some roles, but not all,” and 19 percent do not believe they are preparing them adequately at all. The national survey was conducted online on behalf of CareerBuilder.co.uk of more than 400 employers.When asked to name which workplace skills they think recent graduates’ lack, almost half of employers cited interpersonal or people skills (49 percent). Other skills lacking in new graduates, included:

Problem-solving skills: 40 percent

Creative thinking: 39 percent

Oral communication: 37 percent

Teamwork: 34 percent

Written communication: 33 percent

Leadership: 32 percent

Project management: 24 percent

Research and analysis: 19 percent

Maths: 17 percent

Computer and Technical: 17 percent

“Though nearly all UK companies plan to hire recent graduates, the vast majority of these do not feel students are adequately prepared for the workforce,” says Scott Helmes, Managing Director of CareerBuilder UK. “This finding underscores the need for companies to work more closely with educational institutes to ensure graduates are developing the skills that growing businesses need.”

Are new graduates ready?

When asked where specifically educational institutes are letting their students down in preparing for the workforce, employers cited the following concerns:

Too much emphasis on book learning instead of real world learning – 53 percent

I need workers with a blend of technical skills and soft skills – 42 percent

Not enough emphasis on internships, work experience and apprenticeships –  13 percent

Entry-level roles within my organisation are more complex today – 17 percent

Technology is changing too quickly for academics to keep up – 12 percent

Not enough students are graduating with the degrees my company needs – 12 percent

Which degrees have the best job prospects?

Employers in the UK feel that the most desirable qualification for graduates to hold is a business degree, with 35 percent of employers naming it the most in-demand degree at their firms, followed closely by computer and information sciences (20 percent). Engineering degrees are also in high demand (16 percent), with maths and statistics (15 percent) and law and legal degrees (14 percent) rounding out the list.

Where are the opportunities?

Employers are primarily looking towards new graduates to fill roles in information technology (39 percent) and business development (36 percent). Opportunities also abound in customer service (32 percent) and finance and accounting (29 percent). Health (23 percent) rounds out the top five job types.

What will these jobs pay?

More than one third of employers (42 percent) who plan to hire recent college graduates will offer higher starting salaries they did last year. The majority of employers (47 percent) expect salaries to stay the same, and 11 percent expect to offer lower starting salaries.

However, salaries are not set in stone: The majority of employers (71 percent) say they are willing to negotiate salary when extending job offers to recent graduates.

The majority of employers (83 percent) who plan to hire new college graduates are willing to negotiate or provide new graduates with a variety of perks. After salary, the most popular benefits employers say they will negotiate are the following:

Flexible hours: 41 percent

Bonuses: 26 percent

Reimbursement for additional training: 26 percent

Paying for mobile phone: 23 percent

Relocation expenses: 21 percent

Reimbursement for commuting expenses: 19 percent

More holiday days: 22 percent

Remote working options: 17 percent

*Percentages may add up to more than 100 due to rounding.