Graduating in a post-Brexit world

New data released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows that 78 per cent of UWE Bristol graduates secure professional roles within six months after graduating. Bristol24/7 talks to three recent UWE graduates about their degrees, and their thoughts on a post-Brexit job market.

Neha Shahid Chaudhry, 23
Neha studied product design and, with the university’s help, has now set up her own company Walk to Beat. The company produces walking sticks to help those suffering from Parkinson’s.

“I was told by my tutor at university to apply for a grant, which gave me money to help develop this project. I also filed for another grant.

“Starters get grants from European commissions and have access to European grants.

“Before Brexit, I think it would have made it the business easier to start up because of distribution in Germany and France.

“I don’t know how things are going to change now, things are blurry.

“But my advice for starting a business is that you really have to be dedicated and you have to believe in it, it’s not impossible.”

Rebecca Potter, 22
Rebecca has recently graduated in Adult Nursing. She starts her new job at Cheltenham General Hospital after the summer, working in orthopaedic and elderly care.

“Because I was living with my partner for less than three years, I got the basic NHS means-tested funding.” It was revealed earlier this year that these bursaries will be replaced by loans, which was met by protests.

But the funding Rebecca received in her education did not affect her decision: “The funding had nothing to do with it, I would have gone with it anyway.”

“My local community voted to leave, even young people. It’s between the personal and professional.”

Would Brexit have affected her decision of her degree? She says: “The uncertainty would have scared me, but I am passionate about my work.”

Joshua Wakley, 21
Joshua changed his career direction after completing a BA (Hons) Filmmaking & Creative Media. He is now a Senior Technician at the Redgrave Theatre and freelances.

Joshua says: “Whenever I have gotten freelance work and my technician job they have appreciated the fact I have a degree but are always more interested in what other bits of experience you have done.”

He adds: “The course lets you see what’s going on in the industry, what else links in.”

When asked whether he would still consider university as an 18-year-old now, he says “People are still going to go [to university], the process will just change. It’s the same with study abroad, people from my course went to Thailand and China, those links are there.”  

“If you’re interested, it makes no difference.” He does, however, admit that “with tuition fees going up, I needed to have that bursary, the grants.”

Despite speculation that the creative industry could be hit by Brexit due to European funding, Joshua thinks: “It’s not really going to change; there might not be as many national shows with less free movement.”

“It shouldn’t stop anybody, it’s just if people want to put on shows, they should still be able.”