Learning & Teaching

Degree. Experience. Potential. Skills. What employers really value… 

From attending the TENTTalk, our main takeaway is… 

Across Dell, Deloitte, Enterprise Mobility and NatureScot, a clear message emerged: employers recruit from a wide range of degree backgrounds and are often more interested in how students demonstrate their skills, experiences, motivation and potential than in their degree subject alone. Students frequently already possess many of the attributes employers seek. The challenge is often recognising, evidencing and articulating them effectively. 

The key themes that emerged from the discussion were… 

The value of higher education: Employers were clear that higher education helps students develop many of the capabilities they value. Academic colleagues play an important role in helping students recognise and communicate these. 

• Degree programmes provide opportunities to develop communication, teamwork, presentation, critical thinking, leadership and other transferable skills. 

• Different disciplines bring different strengths and perspectives. 

• Students do not always recognise or articulate the skills they are developing through their studies. 

Transferable skills, potential and evidence: Employers consistently emphasised evidence of transferable skills alongside academic achievement. 

• Curiosity, motivation, resilience and a willingness to learn were repeatedly highlighted. 

• Employers are often recruiting for potential, not finished products. 

• Students should be encouraged to provide clear evidence of their skills through examples and experiences. 

AI and authenticity: While AI is becoming an increasingly common workplace tool, employers stressed the continued importance of human skills. 

• AI can support preparation, development and learning – but should not be a substitute for thinking and effort.  

• Employers are looking for authentic examples and genuine reflection. 

• Most employers on our panel did not use AI for recruitment processes and highlighted the importance of authentic, skills-based assessment and interviews. 

Learning beyond the curriculum: Experiences outside formal study were frequently identified as valuable sources of skill development. 

• Part-time work, volunteering, student leadership roles, networking, engagement with professional bodies all provide students with rich evidence. 

• Students often underestimate the relevance of these experiences when applying for opportunities. 

Recruitment processes are evolving: The panel shared several insights into contemporary recruitment practices. 

• Some larger organisations are moving away from CV-based recruitment. 

• LinkedIn and social media are increasingly important channels for promoting opportunities. 

• Common pitfalls include making many applications without researching individual roles, unclear motivations, failing to communicate professionally, overstating experiences and undervaluing existing skills and experiences. 

Why does this matter? 

The discussion reinforced the important role universities play in helping students recognise, develop and articulate their skills. Employers repeatedly returned to the importance of transferable skills, authentic self-reflection and evidence of experience, highlighting the value of supporting students to connect their academic and wider university experiences with their future aspirations. 

What does the data tell us about what is happening in the graduate labour market?  

From attending the TENTTalk, our main takeaway is… 

While there is no doubt that the graduate labour market has become more challenging in recent years, the evidence presented suggested a more nuanced picture than media headlines often imply. Graduate-level employment continues to grow; most graduates remain in professional-level roles and there is currently little evidence of widespread AI-driven job losses. For colleagues, the discussion highlighted the importance of helping students understand a changing labour market with confidence, informed by evidence rather than perception. 

The key themes that emerged from the discussion were: 

The UK remains a graduate labour market: The session challenged the narrative that there are ‘too many graduates’ competing for too few opportunities. 

• More than half of the UK workforce now holds degree-level qualifications. 

• Graduate-level employment has continued to expand, while many jobs below degree level have declined. 

• Employers continue to recruit graduates across a wide range of sectors and occupations. 

Graduate outcomes remain relatively strong: Although labour market conditions have softened, most indicators remain consistent with a stable labour market rather than a recession. 

• 4 in 5 grads are employed within 15 months of graduation. The unemployment rate has risen by 0.6pp year-on-year for the last 3 years and now stands at 6.8%. 

• Most employed graduates continue to work in professional-level roles. 

• Graduate unemployment has risen slightly in recent years but remains within expected levels for a slower-growth economy. 

AI is changing recruitment more than employment: AI emerged as one of the most discussed topics during the session. 

• There is currently limited evidence of widespread AI-related job replacement for graduates. 

• Some sectors have experienced change, but many occupations frequently highlighted as vulnerable have continued to recruit strongly. 

• AI appears to be having a greater impact on recruitment practices and application processes than on overall demand for graduates. 

Location and sector continue to matter: The discussion highlighted significant variation across regions and industries. 

• Scotland continues to perform slightly above the UK average on several graduate outcome measures. 

• Glasgow and Edinburgh remain two of Scotland's most significant and vibrant graduate labour markets, although they offer different sectoral opportunities with Glasgow strong in the engineering and health sectors and Edinburgh in the IT and business sectors. Glasgow is the 5th largest UK labour market.   

• Health, education, business services and engineering-related sectors remain important destinations for graduates. 

Looking beyond the headlines: Several commonly reported narratives were challenged throughout the session. 

• There was little evidence to support claims that this is the ‘worst graduate labour market on record’. 

• The decline in the graduate salary premium appears to be influenced by wider economic factors rather than a reduced value of higher education. 

• Labour market trends are often more complex and varied than national headlines suggest. 

Why does this matter? 

This session offered a timely reminder that graduate success should be viewed through a long-term and evidence-informed lens. While students may encounter challenging headlines about AI, graduate jobs or the value of a degree, the labour market data continues to demonstrate the importance of higher education and the opportunities available to graduates. Supporting students to understand labour market trends, build confidence in their skills and make informed career decisions remains an important part of the student experience. 

The discussions across both sessions highlighted many of the ideas at the heart of the Embedding Employability Framework: making skills visible, connecting learning with future opportunities and helping students articulate their strengths with confidence. If these themes resonate with your own teaching, speak to your College Employability & Skills Lead to find out more about becoming an early adopter. 

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First published: 29 September 2026