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Entry into the labour market after higher vocational education, 2021 graduates

More graduates from higher vocational education in work in 2022

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2022-12-19 8.00

The labour market for higher vocational education graduates has started to recover after the covid-19 pandemic. Once again, more than 90 percent of graduates now have work as their primary activity the year after graduating. However, the proportion of those working in occupations that are consistent with their attended programme has not yet returned to the pre-pandemic level.

The main purpose of higher vocational education is to enhance skills supply in Sweden. The graduates’ situation on the labour market reflects the programmes’ degree of success in this respect, although external factors also – such as the covid-19 pandemic – have an impact. New statistics from Statistics Sweden show the situation on the labour market in the autumn of 2022 for graduates from higher vocational education in 2021.

Better employment outcome for 2021 graduates

Out of the 2021 graduates, 91 percent had work as their primary activity in the autumn of 2022. There are no differences between women and men.

“The proportion of people working was lower in connection with the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The labour market has now recovered and so too has the proportion of higher vocational education graduates who are in work,” explains analyst Paula Kossack.

Work as primary activity the year after graduation from higher vocational education. Women and men

Graph

Unchanged consistency between work and attended programme

The majority of the graduates who have work as their primary activity also have a job that is consistent with the programme they attended. The proportion of those with a job that is fully or largely consistent is 65 percent in 2022, which is unchanged from the year before. The proportion fell in connection with the covid-19 pandemic and has not yet started to recover.

Among women, the proportion was around 70 percent during the period 2016 to 2019, but then fell in connection with the covid-19 pandemic. Among men, the proportion increased until 2019 to then drop in the same way as among women.

Consistency between work and attended programme the year after graduation from higher vocational education. Women and men

Graph

Definitions and explanations

The statistics are based on a survey directed at approximately 19,500 students who graduated from higher vocational education programmes with an end date in 2021. The data was collected directly from the graduates through a survey (online/on paper) during the period end of August to beginning of November 2022.

Out of the queried graduates, 41 percent responded to the survey. The results have been processed using statistical methods so that they relate to all graduates and not only respondents.

The survey can be found in the document “Statistikens framställning” under Documentation at Inträdet på arbetsmarknaden (in Swedish only).

Publication

A more detailed description of the results can be found in the report Entry into the labour market after higher vocational education (in Swedish only).

Next publishing will be

Statistics on entry into the labour market after upper secondary school will be published in the autumn of 2023. Statistics on entry to the labour market after higher education will be published in the autumn of 2024.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden, Education and Jobs

E-mail
yh-statistik@scb.se

Enquiries

Paula Kossack

Telephone
+46 10 479 60 05
E-mail
paula.kossack@scb.se

Evalena Andersson

Telephone
+46 10 479 61 50
E-mail
evalena.andersson@scb.se