Dr Michael Tomlinson leading research on the impact of Covid-19 on recent graduates’ career decisions and outcomes

Dr Michael Tomlinson has recently completed a study, in a collaboration between the University of Southampton and the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on recent graduates’ employment outcomes, career decisions and the resources they can draw upon to tackle the challenges they may face in the world outside higher education.

It is undeniable that the Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health, education, employment and society in general, on a global scale. It was already clear, even early into the pandemic, that the weight of economic fallout would be unequally shouldered by people aged 18-24, those from an ethnic minority group, women, young workers and disabled workers. Graduates, many of whom inhabit a number of these intersecting identities, are already being adversely affected by the economic and employment challenges associated with the pandemic, as well as the health, personal and societal challenges.

This report is the first release of a longitudinal study into how the pandemic has affected recent graduates' career decisions and outcomes. The project has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19.

Please find a link to the report here: The Impact of Covid-19 on Recent Graduates’ Career Decisions and Outcomes | Public Policy|Southampton | University of Southampton