Degrees 'lowering in value'

The value of a degree is declining for the first time, as a result of Labour's insistence on hoarding a larger and larger proportion of the population through university, it has been claimed.

The number of males graduating and then entering non-graduate jobs has risen to 33.2 per cent this year - a rise of 50 per cent on last year's 22.7 per cent.

However the difference in pay rates is significant, as there is a 40 per cent gap between jobs which require a degree and those which do not.

"This is the first real sign the tide is turning," said Francis Green, professor of economics at Kent University, which carried out the study.

"If you are coming into university with not very good qualifications and do an arts degree at a low-ranked university, you are not really doing yourself any favours."

It is believed that to make the most of a degree and stand out from the crowd, graduates are now turning to universities once more, to obtain Masters qualifications.

Graduate recruitment has been a lower priority among large businesses than it has been in the past due to the credit crunch, and graduates are advised to sign up to a recruitment agency to maximise their options when looking for a job.

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