Employment opportunities for postgraduate students in the UK
Studying in the United Kingdom opens doors for international students. With the right to work during your studies, you’ll have the chance to gain valuable work experience before graduation.
But what if you decide you want to stay and work in the UK after your studies? Now, it’s easier than ever to find graduate jobs in the UK, thanks to recent visa changes.
Let’s explore what this new UK government initiative means for finding a job after graduating.
How to work in the UK after graduating
You can start your career off with the Graduate Route. Since July 2021, International students have been allowed to spend an additional two years in the UK after successfully completing their degrees. It’s an unsponsored route: this means you don’t need a job offer or funding to apply.
You’ll be able to search for a job and get professional experience of the UK job market before returning to your own country.
If you decide to remain in the UK and pursue your career after your visa expires, you’ll be able to switch from the Graduate route to the Skilled Worker route.
As long as you meet the relevant requirements, the Skilled Worker route allows you to work in the UK for a further five years. It allows you to stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. This visa also contributes to settlement rights – meaning you may be able to apply to live permanently in the UK.
Read more about the different types of Visas available in the UK.
Employment opportunities in the UK
Now that working in the UK after your degree is easier than ever before, what kind of graduate jobs are available?
The jobs market in the UK is full of opportunities for international students. After all, the UK economy is the fifth biggest in the world. And, there are certain fields which are crying out for workers.
It’s certainly helpful to know what’s available for you when it comes to your graduate job search in the UK. Science technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers in the UK are in especially high demand.
Let’s take a look at some of the STEM jobs on the UK Shortage Occupation list:
Graduate jobs in the sciences
If you have recently graduated with a degree in the sciences, then you’re in luck. There are lots of science jobs in the UK for graduates. The nuclear industry, the oil and gas industry and the engineering industry need people in the following roles:
- Chemical scientists
- Biological scientists and biochemists
- Geologists and geophysicists
- Hydrogeeologists
- Geoscientists and geochemists
It’s good news for students planning to study biology, physics, chemistry, or geology. Your knowledge and skills will be in demand after you graduate!
Find out more about studying the sciences in the UK.
Graduate jobs in engineering
Engineers of all kinds are always in high demand in a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing to construction to retail. Most undergraduate engineering degrees require you to specialise in mechanical engineering, for example, or electronic engineering. But there are some general engineering degrees where you can specialise later in your studies, once you’ve decided where your interests lie.
Once you graduate, there’s a shortage in the UK of the following:
- Civil engineers
- Mechanical engineers
- Electrical engineers
- Electronics engineers
- Design and development engineers
- Production and process engineers
Find out more about studying engineering in the UK.
Graduate jobs in the tech world
Studying computer science or software engineering is a good choice if you want to future proof your career. Nowadays, technology is all around us, underpinning our everyday life.
With a computer science degree, you can work in virtually any sector. The following jobs are in high demand:
- IT business analysts, architects and systems designers
- Programmers and software development professionals
- Web design and development professionals
Learn more about studying computer science in the UK.
Graduate jobs in the arts
It’s not just science and technology jobs that are in demand in the UK. The creative industries are also looking for skilled practitioners to work within the UK in the following roles:
- Artists
- Classical ballet dancers
- Contemporary dancers
- Orchestral musicians
- Arts officers, producers and directors
- Graphic designers
- Architects
If you’re studying in a creative field, you’ll have lots of opportunities to work in the UK after graduating. Learn more about studying the creative arts, design, music or architecture in the UK.
Discover 5 more graduate jobs in demand in the UK.
How PTE Academic can help you study in the UK
If you want to study at a university in the UK, you’ll need to attend lectures, participate in seminars and tutorials, write essays and complete assignments — all in English. So, you’ll need to show that you have good language skills.
PTE Academic is a robust, reliable test of English that’s accepted by 99% of universities in the UK, as well as the UK Home Office. So, you can also use your PTE Academic score to apply for a UK student visa.