Here’s how many graduates are moving to London
We know that London is a big draw for the best graduates – but just how many are moving to the big city after university?
A study from think tank Centre for Cities has drilled into the issue. Here are three things we learned from the report's analysis of graduate migration:
1. Over a fifth of graduates move to London
The capital is attracting a huge chunk of the country's graduates, becoming home to 22 per cent of all new graduates who move city six months after getting their degree.
Other popular locations include Birmingham and Manchester, but these cities aren't even close to matching London's share of university-educated workers.
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In Manchester, 67 per cent of the graduates left after studying there, a proportion that rose to 76 per cent in Birmingham and 86 per cent in Southampton.
2. High achieving graduates are especially drawn to the capital
And it's the best graduates who are overwhelmingly attracted to London, with 38 per cent of working new graduates with a first of upper second class degree opting to forward their careers in the capital.
3. Cities that want the best graduates must support economic growth
The study recommended that cities that want to retain graduates must prioritise economic growth, rather than specifically thinking about targeting graduates themselves. The capital attracts graduates because it has 19 per cent of all jobs, and other cities need to up their share of the jobs market to be more attractive to young people.
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The report said: "The patterns of graduate migration appear to be primarily driven by a mix of short and long-term job opportunities.
"The fact that there is no relationship between moving graduates and wages suggests that future career opportunities play an important role in influencing where graduates move to and why."