Working after you graduate

Kingston has some of the best graduate employment figures in the UK, with graduates getting good and fulfilling jobs. In 2007, we surveyed graduates six months after graduation and found that 89% were employed or doing further study/training and only 5% were unemployed.

In 2008, The Sunday Times placed Kingston 50th out of 120 UK universities for highest starting salaries for graduates (average of £19,327 per year). Other universities with starting salaries at this level included Oxford Brookes, Manchester, Sheffield and Glasgow.

Working in the UK

From April 2012 the Tier 1 Post Study Work (PSW) route which enabled graduates to stay and work in the UK for up to two years, will be closed to new applicants.

Graduates of Kingston University, who are still in the UK with a current student visa, may be eligible to switch into Tier 2 work visas for skilled migrants. Tier 2 applicants will need to find an employer who holds a Tier 2 sponsor licence and who has certificates of sponsorship available.

When you apply, you are awarded points based on your:

  • salary and allowances;
  • sponsorship;
  • English language skills; and
  • available maintenance (funds).

Whilst 70 points will be required for a Tier 2 visa, it seems you will not need 30 points for the Resident Labour Market test  so the most important issue will be the need to be in a job with a salary of  at least £20,000 per year gross or to be paid the appropriate rate for your occupation if that rate exceeds £20,000.

Find out more on the the UK Border Agency (UKBA) website and the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.

 

Opportunities

If you do stay in the UK, you can expect a huge range of opportunities:

  • Currently the UK has the fifth largest economy in the world and London the sixth largest city economy.
  • London is a centre of excellence for many professional fields, especially in financial services and the creative industries.
  • More than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies and over 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies have their headquarters in London. Plus 75% of the USA's 500 largest companies have offices in London.
  • South-west London is home to hundreds of small and medium sized businesses – a major growth area for graduate employment.
  • Many organisations have special schemes to recruit and train new graduates.

Indian investment

As India has become one of the fastest-growing nations in the world, London has become a centre of Indian investment.

There are 160 multi-national Indian companies in London and 27 Indian companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, including State Bank of India, Gail (India), Reliance Energy, Bajaj Auto, Tata Tea and Steel Authority of India.

Two thirds of London-based Indian businesses operate in the IT software market, with the second biggest grouping of companies operating in financial and business services.

Working internationally

If you decide to return home or work in another country, a British qualification will significantly improve your employment and promotion chances. Graduates with international experience are highly valued in the job market, especially those with a good level of English.

We have graduates currently working for international companies such as ABN Ambro, Accenture, Bloomberg, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, GlaxoSmithKline, Hewlett Packard, HSBC, IBM, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Toyota, Vodafone and many more.