Covid-19 And The Unforeseeable Future For Post-Graduates

In the plight of the pandemic and economic ruin, the job market has taken a substantial blow in regard to what is available and who it is available too. With people being made redundant, businesses suffering financially, post-university employment is now more competitive than ever before. The Class of 2020 was grossly affected by the impact of the coronavirus both academically and professionally, and the same could be said for the Class of 2021.

The university experience in the hindrance of a pandemic has been largely difficult for students across the globe. Having to learn online without the resources and the help that was once so accessible can have a considerable impact on university experience and grade attainment. Some relied on grade attainment in order to secure post-university opportunities to have those opportunities later withdrawn.

Additionally, thousands of students prior to the height of the pandemic were being offered graduate jobs, internships, and placements which were later rescinded due to not being able to physically and economically attain graduates. The change in the economy and the change in post-university plans has consequently meant that many students are having to revisit and explore different career options in opposition to initial post-university plans.

Gen Z’s are perceived to be limited in access in regard to the professional and corporate world, however, in actuality, this is not the case. Having a degree does not mean that a future career and or job has to be tailored around what your degree majored in, (with the exception of medicine). There is a significant number of jobs that are not specifically suited to particular degrees; these professions include HR, PR, Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain and Logistics, and more. Although having had the experience of the aforementioned professions is preferred, many of these professions require a good level of written and spoken communication, a level of competency, and a willingness to learn.

The tech-world can appear to be seemingly difficult to break into and can be viewed as intimidating from the perspective of someone with little to no experience in this field. A survey taken in 2018 found that 86 per cent of businesses have difficulty in finding individuals with tech-talent. This survey also found that by 2020, it was predicted that there would only be 400,000 qualified degreed applicants expected to fill over a million technical positions. Fast forward to 2021 and there is a range of different ways to break into this field; with websites such as ‘Coding for Girls’ and the use of YouTube, the skillset needed to progress in this field is now more accessible and more encouraged for those who are willing to learn.

Students who have attained degrees in business are also able to venture into other avenues in the business domain. The skillset and knowledge developed in a business degree can easily be applicable to contrary business roles; ability to quantify data, understand the impact of financial decisions, excellent written and spoken communication, as well as the ability to work in a team and take on a leadership role where applicable. Aforementioned skills and knowledge can not only be applied to roles including an accountant, corporate attorney, business reporter but can also be applied to roles which involve the use of social media, which we know to be an ever-growing aspect of everyday life.

Although most who attain law degrees usually go into further education, the law is another degree which allows students to obtain similar transferrable skills to the above-mentioned. Law is a seemingly popular, competitive, and difficult degree in most cases, which lessened the opportunities and was available pre-coronavirus. But with the heightened competition as a result of the pandemic, law placements, internships are even more competitive and scarce than before. Thus, the exploration of careers and or jobs that can be achieved through a degree in law: an advice worker, chartered accountant, data analyst, and more.

In essence, although work experience can be a desirable attribute to a job role, the unforeseeable can – in this instance – hinder future goals and career plans. The class of 2020 may have been grossly affected by the withdrawals of job opportunities and further career prospects which they potentially could have been aided in, however, it may have also led graduates to widen their horizons and explore other avenues which may not have been thought about prior to the pandemic. Consequently, this may lead to graduates adopting more professional range and skills which can make a candidate more desirable to the employer.

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