The Data Breakdown: Graduate Outcomes

This ‘Clinic’ session will provide an update on HESA’s evolving approach to the collection of data as part of the Graduate Outcomes Survey. The session will allow you to consider how the survey is changing and how this should feature within an institution’s planning.

This deep dive session will provide an extensive analysis of the key trends, outcomes and motivators that can be unpicked from the Graduate Outcomes data releases. The session will evaluate new insights the dataset has revealed and will consider how institutions can use the core themes to drive their planning.

This data breakdown will explore:

• The core trends in the post-18 employment market and how job-seeking is evolving
• What we have learnt on the graduate voice, motivators and satisfaction
• How university degrees and experience align with skills used
• Key indicators on regional trends and institutional trends
• Understanding graduate’s choices and decision making
• Recognising limitations of the data and how institutions can build the lag into planning

This practical workshop session will allow you to consider how your Graduate Outcomes data can be used and compared against in a variety of ways. The session will give practical ideas and tips on how understanding the various indicators and benchmarking can provide insight and increase stakeholder engagement at all levels.

The session will consider:

• How Graduate Outcomes can be used as an indicator within KPIs and what it looks like from senior management to operational stakeholders
• Effective benchmarking to understand performance, competitors and reputation
• Taking control of the datasets for efficient monitoring, increased engagement and future planning.
• Embedding Graduate Outcomes indicators within a portfolio of institution-wide metrics

How can Graduate Outcomes be used a part of the toolkit for evidence-led decision making by strategic planners and higher education leaders? This session will explore the key considerations in harnessing the dataset to make decisions on investment, resources, planning and strategy.

The session will examine:

• How Graduate Outcomes data can broaden the picture on evidence-led market insights
• Using the dataset to recognise areas for improvement, including on skill development and the value of courses
• Assessing how insights on graduate choice and opportunities can inform strategy
• Recognising the limitations on the dataset and how to avoid lagged decision making
• Broadening your market intelligence capabilities through Graduate Outcomes

Graduate Outcomes now offers a wealth of insight on the skills acquired by students, the value of their courses and how they are harnessing their qualifications to enter the employment market.

This session will examine how departmental and service leaders can use that insight to ask questions of their performance and consider how they can enhance provision to better meet the needs of students entering the labour market.

This practical session will allow you to develop an action plan based on linking the dataset to service improvement.

• Recognising knowledge and skills gaps of graduates
• Examining how a service has prepared students for the employment market
• Developing insights on service performance
• Assessing how course content, delivery and teaching design can respond to data insights
• Harnessing Graduate Outcomes data to develop career service provision
• Identifying skills needs and changes in demand in the job market and ensuring student services reflect this