15 UNITE STUDENTS | APPLICANT INDEX SURVEY | 2022 THEMATIC ANALYSIS BACK T O T H EMES *For this question, agreement indicates a negative response; the score for this question was reversed when calculating the index score. Figure 11 : Breakdown of responses to employment theme questions Applicant confidence in their ability to get the graduate job they want is strong, reflecting the buoyancy of the current graduate job market. Only 19% indicated they were not confident about getting the job they want after graduation. It is also reflective of their own perception of their relevant skills and experience, which is positive – 63% agree that they have the skills and experience that employers want. The majority have taken part in employability related activities, an encouraging finding which endorses the efforts made to deliver employability skills throughout secondary education. Male applicants were more confident than female applicants about their ability to get the graduate job they want. Black/Black British applicants were the most confident of all the ethnic groups, and this may be because they are more likely to agree that they already have a lot of work experience and that they have taken part in activities to develop their skills. Care experienced and estranged applicants were more likely to agree that they had a lot of work experience, but this did not translate into greater confidence about their graduate employment prospects. LGB+ applicants and those with a mental health condition were less confident than average in their ability to get a graduate job, and were less likely to have taken part in activities to develop employability skills. I have skills and experience that employers want I already have a lof of work experience I have taken part in activities to develop my skills for employment I am confident about getting the job I want after graduation EMPLOYMENT 62 The Employment score measures applicants’ confidence in their graduate employment prospects together with their employability skills and experience. Because this is an applicant rather than a student survey, it was anticipated that the scores for these questions may be relatively low with plenty of opportunities to gain further skills and experience during their time at university. 0 100 80 50 20 90 60 30 70 40 10 ■ Strong disagreement ■ Moderate disagreement ■ Neutral ■ Moderate agreement ■ Strong agreement