Over 11 Million Graduates Needed by 2035 in UK, Report Says

Aug 14, 2023

Businesses in the United Kingdom will need over 11 million new graduates to fill jobs by 2035, according to a new report by Universities UK, a representative body for higher education in the UK.

The report “Jobs of the future” highlights that a significant 88 percent of upcoming jobs are expected to require degrees by 2035, with STEM, health, education, and business sectors showing a substantial need for employees by that time, Erudera.com reports.

“STEM, health, education, and business services are among the fastest-growing occupations for graduates, with each needing 1 million new workers by 2035,” the report points out.

According to the report, the country will need more than 1.9 million STEM professionals, especially in areas such as computing and engineering. Additionally, more than 1.2 million health and social care associate professionals will be needed by 2035.

The development of Artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to a net increase of ten percent in the number of jobs that demand a degree qualification within the next two decades. The report states that there will be more than four million roles in the digital field by 2027.

Commenting on the importance that university graduates have for the success of the economy, Universities UK’s Chief Executive, Vivienne Stern, said that most of the workers in the UK are underqualified for their jobs, adding that the universities are trying to offer employers the right tools to succeed in meeting the demand for graduates.

“While the recent proliferation of AI tools has raised fresh concerns about automation, the trends we are seeing suggest that amid a turbulent jobs market, having a degree will be the best way of succeeding,” Stern said.

She said that one of the ways to help in this regard is to ensure that studying at the university is affordable and accessible and, at the same time, maintain the quality of education that UK institutions offer.

Projections say that doctors and nurses will also be in great demand by 2035, with over 1 million health professionals needed by the same year. Moreover, in the creative industry, the UK will need more than 1.2 million business services associate professionals by 2035, including people who are specialized in marketing and advertising.

A degree in the UK is not only needed for the country’s economy as the qualification also helps graduates find the desired jobs. That was revealed by another research conducted by Universities UK which shows that 73 percent of graduates find their dream jobs thanks to university degrees.

Source: Erudera