Query on degree of relevance

MORE than a third of university graduates say their degree is not important for their job, amid continuing concern among students about the quality of teaching.

The findings of a survey of more than 120,000 graduates to be released today shows 71.8 per cent of undergraduates get full-time jobs within four months of leaving university, one of the lowest levels in the past decade.

The findings come after a separate survey of more than 4000 employers, found one in five businesses were dissatisfied with graduates’ skills.

The new survey shows almost all pharmacy and medicine undergraduates quickly land jobs, but finding work is much harder for creative arts, humanities, social sciences, communications and science and mathematics students.

The course satisfaction of undergraduates dipped below 80 per cent, with only 63 per cent happy with the standard of teaching.

As Victorian school leavers wait for university offers to be released on Tuesday, federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said the data was a reminder for teenagers to choose their degrees wisely.