Graduates or current students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) can feel proud and prepared for the job market, as it has maintained its top position in Africa for graduate employability.
On top of this achievement UCT, also placed 18th in the world for graduate employment in the 2019 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Graduate Employability Rankings.
Students who graduate from Cape Town’s pride and joy usually find work within the first year of finishing their studies.
This places the university just outside of the top 100 overall universities worldwide at 101.
UCT was ranked using five key factors carrying different weights, including academic reputation, alumni outcomes, employer-student connections, employer reputation, and graduate employment.
Only five South African institutions are ranked in the top 500, with UCT being the highest rated of all.
UCT achieved its best score yet with 97.2 out of the total of 100, for the “graduate employment rate” indicator. The American University in Cairo and the University of the Witwatersrand are placed second and third, behind the University of Cape Town.
UCT’s next best score, 89.7, was achieved for “alumni outcomes” where the university ranked 36th in the world. This recognises UCT’s strength in producing distinguished achievers rated as “wealthy, successful and powerful individuals”.
Graduates from UCT have also been rated highly desirable candidates in the world of work.
Roughly 39.4% of April 2018 graduands were employed at the time of their graduation, with 45.3% choosing to study further.
Although 19.7% of the graduates surveyed were still seeking work, most of the graduates from the Engineering & Built Environment, Health Sciences and Law faculties were already employed at 54.1%, 53.2% and 62.1% respectively.
The majority of graduates who already had jobs were earning a starting salary between R20 000 and R30 000 (22.1%), while a further 16.1% earned between R15 000 and R20 000.
Pictures: Facebook/University Of Cape Town