Employer accredited degrees in a class of their own

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Press release:

The latest results from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that graduates of employer-accredited Tech Industry Gold degrees have achieved academic and employment results which far outstrip computer science overall, all degrees overall, and almost every individual subject area. 84% of students on Tech Industry Gold degrees achieve 1sts or 2:1s, 50% of graduates are earning at least £25,000 p.a. within six months, and students are better prepared than from any other subject for self-employment or starting their own business[1].

This is the result of a unique collaboration between employers and higher education to create degrees which meet industry-specified standards for technical, business and interpersonal skills, and which benefit from the active support of employers in their delivery. They are delivered by fifteen universities across the UK.

Says Jenny Taylor of IBM:

“These degrees are designed to give the best possible foundation for careers in the digital business world – careers that are both rewarding for the individual and make a real difference to society. They give graduates a fast start, and provide an excellent recruitment pool for employers.”

Karen Price, Executive Director of Tech Partnership Degrees makes the point that “With students – and their parents – more concerned than ever about the value of Higher Education, choosing an industry-accredited Tech Industry Gold degree is one of the best ways there is to ensure a good return on investment”.

The latest statistics show that, for Tech Industry Gold degrees:

  • 84% of graduates achieve 1sts or 2:1s, compared to 70% for computer science overall and 72% for all subjects.
  • 50% of graduates earn at least £25,000 a year six months after graduation, compared to 27% for all degrees. This is bettered only by medical / veterinary subjects and engineering.
  • Graduates are less than half as likely to be unemployed as computer science graduates overall (3% v 8%), and this is bettered only by medical / veterinary subjects and education.
  • 93% of students say they are ‘very well’ or ‘well’ prepared for employment, which is bettered only by medicine & dentistry.
  • 66% of students say they are very well or well prepared for self- employment or starting a business, which is the best of all subject areas.
  • Graduates are more than twice as likely as computer science graduates overall to be female (31% v 14%).

Dr Kevin Doyle of the University of the West of England is delighted with his students’ outstanding results:

“Tech Industry Gold accredited degrees offer students a fantastic way to develop the skills needed in a competitive workforce. Since the start of the programme, students have achieved excellent results compared to other business/tech degrees.”

For more data, view a summary of Tech Industry Gold facts and figures (PDF) or download the full report of Tech Industry Gold results (PDF) – both based on an analysis of HESA statistics by Sagacity Research Ltd.

 

About Tech Industry Gold

Tech Industry Gold is the industry accreditation for digital and tech degrees and degree apprenticeships – BSc (Hons), MSci (Hons) and MSc. Designed to meet standards that are defined by employers, Tech Industry Gold programmes integrate industry-relevant academic learning with the technical, business and interpersonal skills new recruits need to excel in digital careers. They not only meet industry standards for content, delivery, and assessment but also offer a unique student experience due to the active support of employers.

Students can choose Tech Industry Gold programmes with confidence because of their results, including outstanding employment and academic outcomes. Employers get easier access to exceptional talent and new recruits with the skills to be immediately productive in work. For universities, offering Tech Industry Gold accredited programmes helps them to grow new markets and recruit highly engaged students who achieve outstanding results.

About Tech Partnership Degrees

Employer-led and not-for-profit, Tech Partnership Degrees unites employers and universities to improve the flow of talent into the digital workforce through industry-accredited Tech Industry Gold degrees and degree apprenticeships.

The Tech Partnership Degrees Employer Board comprises senior executives from Accenture, Air Products, Amazon, Barclaycard, BT, Capgemini, CGI, Cisco, Deloitte, the Department for Work and Pensions, Fujitsu, IBM, Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyds Banking Group, National Childbirth Trust, Network Rail, NHS Digital, Quicksilva, SAS, Tata Consultancy Services, Telefonica/O2 and VMWare.

Universities offering Tech Industry Gold accredited degrees and degree apprenticeships include: Anglia Ruskin, Aston, Birkbeck, BPP, Chester, Chichester, Derby, East London, Exeter, Glasgow Caledonian, Greenwich, Hertfordshire, Lancaster, Leeds Beckett, Loughborough, Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, Northumbria, the Open University, Oxford Brookes, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), Ravensbourne, Sheffield Hallam, Suffolk, Sunderland, Teesside, University of the West of England (UWE), University of West London (UWL) and Winchester.

See www.techskills.org for further details.

All enquiries to [email protected].

[1] Data analysis by Sagacity Research. Source: HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17.

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