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Data released by the Abu Dhabi Education Council, ADEC, Graduate Destination Survey, GDS, show that 70 percent of graduates in subject fields such as Engineering in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are employed, followed by an increasing employment rate of 67 percent for those in Health and Welfare subjects.
Participants in the survey included 6,163 graduates who studied in one of the 22 higher education institutions located in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region. This number represents 64 percent of the total number of graduates in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, out of which 34 percent are Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, graduates.
The fourth annual GDS reveals that 58 percent of information technology graduates find immediate employment, while 46 percent of science related subject students find immediate employment.
Speaking about this year’s GDS results, ADEC’s Higher Education Executive Director, Dr. Mohamed Yousif Baniyas, said that findings from this year’s GDS clearly demonstrates the value of students focusing on STEM subjects.
"The GDS helps to effectively measure the impact of higher education across higher education institutions and universities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The data that the survey provides shows the evolving nature of Abu Dhabi’s higher education sector, with more choosing to pursue STEM related disciplines and careers, an optimistic trend that is in line with ADEC’s mission to meet the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision through graduating a competent, knowledgeable workforce of youth who can effectively contribute to the economy," he added.
The 1st GDS was conducted in 2014, with a participation rate of 51 percent, added Dr. Baniyas. "ADEC is pleased to witness an increase in number of students participating in this year’s survey. This significant improvement in response rates will provide us with reliable data and a clearer image of market trends, which need to be correlated with our education plans."
When asked about their satisfaction rate, 87 percent of Abu Dhabi graduates said they were satisfied with the teaching in their institution, while 95 percent of graduates feel that due to the type of education they received in their universities, they have become much more confident to work in a team, with improvement evident in their reading, writing and critical thinking skills.
"The increasing participation in this survey is important as the data the study provides is vital for both institutions and ADEC to address the employment needs of the Emirate. Due to the hard work of the participating institutions and the team at ADEC, the latest survey data provides a much richer picture of the employment of graduates from the Emirate’s higher education institutions," concluded Dr. Baniyas.
The GDS is benchmarked against international frameworks after a review of similar surveys in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Europe. Employment data is collected from graduates nine months after their graduation.
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