Future Jobs is the first major part of the Future Universities work created to ensure graduates are able to get great jobs by strengthening the vital link between universities and employers. With increasing questions about whether degrees lead to ‘good jobs’, we want to find the solutions that support business to access the skills they need now and in the future, and in the process tackle the challenges graduates are facing in the jobs market.
Future Jobs: what is it?
Universities play a central role in building a skilled workforce and supporting the ideas and innovation that fuel national growth – we’re ready to show that more clearly and confidently.
Launching in early 2026, Future Jobs begins with a UK wide business listening exercise. By bringing employers, sector bodies and local partners together with universities, we will gather real insight into the skills and opportunities the economy needs next.
Insights from these discussions will feed into the Future Jobs roadmap, a focused set of practical actions designed to better match graduate skills to employer demand and support businesses to innovate, scale and create high quality jobs in every part of the UK.
Future Jobs is about matching the skills needs of employers with the graduates universities produce, enhancing the essential role universities play in delivering good jobs and supporting economic growth.
In numbers
Future Jobs is about equipping graduates with skills for the future workforce.
88
%
of new jobs will be graduate- level by 2035
1.9
m
STEM professionals needed by 2035
33
%
of workers’ core skills are expected by UK employers to change by 2030
What steps are we taking?
Step one
Business roundtable sessions taking place at partner universities around the UK in early 2026 followed by a survey of employers to test emerging findings from the roundtables.
Step two
A Future Jobs Roadmap setting out evidence and learnings, with tangible and practical recommendations to the sector, business and government policy.
Step three
A survey of members exploring what universities are doing to meet future skills needs and the launch of a Future Jobs Pledge.
Voices shaping this work
Hear from participants attending our business roundtable sessions taking place at partner universities around the UK.
Participants at our facilitated Future Jobs roundtable session held at Northumbria University, Newcastle. Left to Right: Seb Gordon, Roisin Currie, Alona Welby, Rita Patel Miller and Mark Thompson.
Conversations like this are so important – universities need to understand more about the challenges that businesses are facing and to help, businesses also need to open their doors to help the education process so universities can prepare students with the skills that we need for the future to keep moving forward and improving.
Roisin Currie CBE
Chief Executive of Greggs plc
