Once again, the booming economy means booming prospects for third-level graduates. Graduate unemployment continues its downward slide and has now reached its lowest level in 16 years. The recently-published Higher Education Authority (HEA) report shows that the proportion of 1997 graduates still seeking employment in April 1998 was only 2.1 per cent. This compares with 3.6 per cent of 1996 graduates.

Of the 17,698 respondents, 46.3 per cent gained employment in Ireland while 10 per cent gained employment abroad and 38.8 per cent went on to further study or training.

This figures refer to graduates of certificate, diploma, degree and higher degree courses. Students wondering about the wisdom of spending a further few years studying should be encouraged by the HEA report. All of the evidence is that, the longer you stay in education, the better your prospects of gaining employment and the more likely it is that you will receive a higher salary.

At degree level, 57 per cent of primary degree respondents had got employment on April 30, 1998, the day of the survey. This compares with 80.6 per cent of higher degree graduates. A further 34.7 per cent of primary degree holders opted for further study, while 10.5 per cent of higher degree respondents were pursuing further study or training. Only two per cent were seeking employment.

The vast majority of degree and higher degree graduates were in full-time employment with a small drop in the numbers going abroad. Almost two-thirds of primary degree graduates found work in the east of Ireland. Of those who went abroad, 31.8 per cent went to Britain, 36.6 per cent found work in other EU countries and a further 7.5 per cent were employed in North America.

The proportion going to work in EU countries other than Britain represents a substantial increase on the 19.1 per cent in 1996.

Of those employed in Ireland, 49 per cent were earning between £9,000 and £17,000 a year. Thirteen per cent had annual salaries below £9,000, while 15 per cent had salaries above £17,000. A further 23 per cent did not supply this information.

At higher degree level, 29 per cent were earning between £9,000 and £17,000 with 38 per cent earning more than £17,000 and 10 per cent below £9,000.

At cert/diploma level, the picture is somewhat different, as might be expected. Fewer graduates go directly into employment and more go on to further study. Salaries are lower with certificate graduates earning less than those with diplomas.

Of the 4,682 cert/diploma respondents, 36.2 per cent went directly into employment, a slight decrease on last year. The proportion of students continuing their studies increased by 3.8 per cent over the same period, with 59.1 per cent in all continuing their education.

This indicated the high proportion of students climbing the so-called "ladder of opportunity" from cert to diploma to degree. Only 2.1 per cent were seeking employment on the date of the survey.

Again, employment propects were best in the east of the country. Those from the east had an 88 per cent chance of finding work in their own region compared with 39.2 per in the midlands. The majority of respondents working overseas were in Britain.

At national cert level, 29 per cent were earning up to £9,000 a year with 62 per cent earning between £9,000 to £17,000 and 5 per cent earning £17,000 plus.

A higher proportion of diploma graduates, 66 per cent, earned in the region of £9,000 to £17,000, while 13 per cent exceeded £17,000. And 19 per cent earned less than £9,000. So, in general terms, graduates seem to be rewarded in proportion to their years of study and their degree of qualification.