New research commissioned by BUCS proves that sport has a positive impact on graduate employability and shows the current average salary of graduates who engaged in sport is £32,552 compared with £26,728 for those who do not.
More than just earning power the study shows 51% of graduates say sporting involvement has helped them develop teamwork skills and leadership qualities in the workplace.
The research set out to look at the impact of engagement with sport on graduate employability. They used a mixed method approach which included secondary analysis of Sport England’s Active People data and primary research with the key audiences; including 13 interviews with Vice Chancellors, 112 interviews with graduate employers and 5,838 interviews with graduates.
Graduate perspective
The results from both primary and secondary research showed that graduates who took part in sport have a higher annual household income than graduates who do no sport and the relative growth in career earnings is also greater for those who took part in sport. Average earnings of graduates who engaged in sport at university is £5,824 higher than those who did no sport
51% of graduates said that engagement in sport at university had a positive impact on employability skills. Graduates who had also been involved in the organization and management of university sport reported that this experience had the greatest impact on developing key skills. They were also the least likely to have encountered a period of unemployment.
Employer’s perspective
Graduate employers were overwhelmingly positive about the benefits of graduates having engaged in sport whilst at university. Many employers actively looked for a mention of engagement in sport in graduate job applications. Positive attributes including team working, communication skills, motivation, competitiveness and resilience were deemed important by employers. However, employers emphasized that applicants need to demonstrate employability skills and attributes that they have developed through sport rather than just listing playing sport.
“My view is that engaging in sport could have some significant benefits to candidates when making job applications. if it was a team sport and the candidate was a captain or took a leading role we would take this seriously as a non-academic achievement. It’s a supporting factor alongside the application of having taken the opportunity to practice and develop leadership skills” (Waitrose)
94% of employers questioned identified a clear link between university sport participation and valuable skills and strengths in potential employees.
University prospective
Senior executives within universities agreed that sport was an important factor in student experience and was an important determinant of choice in student recruitment.
Student engagement in sport whilst at university (especially volunteering) is considered to have significant impact on student employability and is an essential part of the development of ‘well rounded’ graduates.
Conclusions
As numbers of graduates increase, students need to do more than pass a degree to get their first job and to sustain their employability. The evidence indicates strongly that in the context of rising fees, engagement in sport provides a good career return on investment of between £4,264 and £5,616 per annum.
There is significant evidence from employers that engagement in sport is a recognized strength, but it’s not just about playing sport it’s the involvement in volunteering and management aspects that provide competitive advantage in the jobs’ market.
Students who engage in sport need to be able to make the best use of their experience in a recruitment process by demonstrating transferable skills.
The sport offer at university is not just about investment in facilities, it’s an overall package, which includes participation and opportunities for engagement in volunteering, management and leadership activity.
There is a need to ensure that the value of engagement in sport (as recognised by graduate employers) is communicated and promoted in universities to all who have a role is helping graduates prepare for employment.
The research concluded that sport does matter and can contribute in various domains. It is a force for good and a sound investment from the graduate, employer and universities’ perspectives.
Now is the time for all partners and stakeholders to realise the potential of sport and to act accordingly.
This research was undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University on behalf of BUCS. For more information and to see the full report visit www.bucs.org.uk/page.asp?section=16992§ionTitle=Graduate+Employability+Research