The latest Higher Education Authority (HEA) Graduate Outcomes survey reveals how Ireland’s graduates are faring in the workplace just nine months after completing their studies. With responses from 70,921 graduates, this report offers key insights for employers, HR teams, and corporate training professionals looking to attract, retain, and upskill top talent.
Popular fields of study: Business, Administration & Law (24.3%), Health & Welfare (16.2%), and Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction (11.0%).
Highest qualifications: Almost half (49.8%) hold Undergraduate Honours Degrees, while 27.8% completed Taught Masters programmes.
Survey participation: 50.9% response rate, reflecting a representative snapshot of Ireland’s graduate cohort.
Nine months post-graduation, the survey shows:
Employment: 80.2% of graduates are in employment. Education graduates are most likely to secure work (91.6%), while Arts & Humanities graduates have the lowest employment rate (63.1%).
Further study: 10.7% of graduates continue their studies, particularly in Arts & Humanities (21.5%) and Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics (18.9%).
Unemployment: 6.5% are unemployed, which remains below the youth unemployment rate of 11.4% for ages 15-24 in March 2025.
These insights underline the importance of ongoing skills development. While overall employment is strong, sector-specific gaps, particularly in Arts & Humanities, highlight opportunities for targeted training, professional development, and upskilling. Companies can benefit from:
Tailored induction and onboarding programmes to bridge skill gaps.
Continued professional development to retain high-potential graduates.
Collaborations with higher education institutions to create bespoke graduate training pipelines.
For businesses aiming to attract the best graduates, investing in training and upskilling programmes is essential. Corporate training initiatives not only improve workforce readiness but also increase employee retention and productivity.
Discover training solutions and talent development programmes today at CorporateTraining.ie and stay ahead in a competitive graduate market.
