Study shows Ontario undergrad graduates have higher employment rates and incomes

Nov 19, 2013 | Biz/Tech

By Nicole Campea

A recent survey from the provincial government shows that graduates of Ontario’s undergraduate university programs have higher employment rates and incomes than anyone else with any other level of education.

The study shows that 92 per cent of 2010 undergrads were employed no more than two years after graduation.

Graeme Simpson, program coordinator for Humber’s Human Resources Management program, told Humber News he thinks the study is correct.

“From an employer’s point of view, if I had two candidates, one with school experience, and one without, I would choose someone with school experience, no doubt about it,” Simpson said. “As an employer, I would assume that someone who pursues post-secondary is more aggressive, is more interested in becoming employed, wants to make themselves more competitive and wants to put themselves out there in the field they want to be in.”

However, not everyone agrees with the study. Andrew Clark, director of Humber’s comedy writing and performance program, told Humber News he thinks it’s all about passion and drive when getting a job you love.

“I’m always confused about reports that talk about employment success revolving around salary and earnings,” he said. “I don’t know how that is the only vision of success. If you were to tell me you finished your undergrad, but you were volunteering for a year without making any money, but skill gaining skills, learning, and doing what you love – to me that’s success.

Clark said success doesn’t always come from school.

“Look at Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Steve Jobs dropped out of school and Bill Gates was not even close to being an A+ student,” he said. “Technology programs these days you need around a 95 average to get in. Steve Jobs the biggest entrepreneur, marketer and inventor, wouldn’t have been accepted into a technology program.”

The study also concluded that more than 82 per cent of the graduates obtain employment related to their degree.

However, Rebecca Holton, a University of Toronto graduate, told Humber News that she was not the only one disappointed with her employment earnings.

“Many of my undergrad school friends were also unhappy with their earnings coming from their first job out of school,” she said. “They felt underemployed and a large majority of them eventually decided to pursue additional education in hopes of improving their future incomes and/or employment prospects.”

Holton said that surprisingly, among her friends, the ones who are the most financially stable and comfortable are the ones who completed a college diploma or trade certification straight out of high school, without university.