Spporting graduates struggling with unemployment and rejection?

[anotherglass]

Son (22) graudated last summer with engineering degree. Since then he has been applied for 100+ jobs, had interviews, but never got the job. He volunteers part-time in a charity store and works for a sustainability charity. He is learning another language, and playing in a band. In spite of this, he is steadily becoming demotivated and demoralised by the constant rejection.
Parents of l-t unemployed young adults, how do you deal with this?

I haven't answered every question because you may have noticed it was quite late. He did not do a year in industry. He has volunteering experience with a local sustainability group repairing electrical goods. It is hands on engineering.

I have said that an apprecenticeship is not on the cards. I understand where you are coming from but low wage would mean he is stuck at home for many more years which will is hugely demoralising. He wants a grad job, to go forward and not back. A world where grads compete for apprenticeships is truly fuckedup,

Would he move to a different part of the country and do a house share?

I know you are anti graduate apprenticeship but is your son and if so why. It is not low wages and let's face it, no one is rushing to give him a grad job at the moment.

Bae systems take on grads get them additional qualifications such,as their masters, have a job guaranteed afterwards as well as other perks. Places like Barrow are expanding massively.
Places like Bae or Roll Royce or similar will open doors for him long term.

I honestly think you are getting hung up on the word apprenticeship, its definitely not a backward step, its an enhanced approach to getting reasonable job security.

At the moment your son is not working in engineering and the gap between him getting a degree and being employed is getting longer because he will only hold out for a grad job, which as we all know are like hens teeth.

Taking any role that will keep his skills fresh will give him, purpose and help his self esteem as well as give him some money and make connections in the industry. He is not going to do any of that working in a charity shop and for a sustainable charity that is not connected to his degree. Also it will mean he will have finished by his mid 20s assuming he is 21/22 now and with a permanent job.

Also, there is nothing stopping him still applying for other jobs while he is on a training scheme. It would probably give him an advantage as he would have real life industry experience.

Im done now. Im just trying to explain why its not all bad and there are more positives than negatives but I've a feeling im wasting my time.

I wish your son wel,l as im seeing nearly every day with my job how difficult life is for some young people.

That’s in the past. Likewise, apprenticeships - he surely won’t be eligible because he has a degree?
Of course he is, there are post graduate degree apprenticeships, they pay well and offer further training.

Is he from a good uni? Not sure if that makes a difference in engineering.

I would also suggest you get this moved to Higher Education or Parents of Adult Kids. HE has very many knowledgeable people.

@anotherglass - what branch of engineering did your son study? (Apologies if you've already said but I couldn't spot it). That detail might help in providing advice.

Also what feedback is he getting from interviews?

Apologies if this has been said already - is suggest walking around local pubs, with the World Cup starting soon he might be lucky and get some bar shifts - that way he might meet other grads in similar positions which may help him feel less isolated and disheartened while he grinds through applications.

maybe suggest a break, can you afford a short holiday for a reset?

other options - he's probably done this already but the water companies and utilities are heavily recruiting where I live for engineering type roles, it might be a sideways step or a step down as a technician but - worth a look maybe ?

I am not sure if you are aware but Masters levels apprenticeships are no longer available to 22 year olds and older. He is 22.

Aeronautical. One feedback was that he needs to be more confident.

Russell Group - top 3 in his speciality of aeronautical.

I do see that it demoralising. My advice is to try and help him adjust his expectations. You keep mentioning a ‘grad job with a grad salary’ - and this is just not a thing like it used to be. You are right that the high level apprenticeships are very competitive. It is worth considering a short term lower level apprenticeship to gain some real engineering experience- and he would then be in a good position to move forward. There are still a few apprenticeship applications open.
The risk with multiple applications is that they can come across as not relating to the job - and there are many in this position as there are far more graduates in engineering every year ( and many other fields) than are needed in the work force.
Try to focus on all the positives he has in his life - so that he does the same- be selective about applications so they are more likely to stand out and things will work out eventually. Good luck - it is a tough road I have walked (not in engineering) and it is exhausting propping them up. Look after yourself too OP

Not available to those aged 22 and over https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vgd8zmpe3o

The RN Air Engineer option could be a good fit then, OP.

www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles/air-engineer-officer

You lost my sympathy here @anotherglass. I think its you who isn't on board with the reality now. If you hope/expect your ds to get a grad job you are all going to be disappointed for a lot longer. A degree basically means fuck all now. No matter where its from. An apprenticeship would be fantastic, although they are very over subscribed and people with masters aren't getting within spitting distance one.
But your son wanting to get a grad job and decent money is sadly pie in the sky right now. My ds got a grad job over a year ago, there were 40000 applications and 300 places. He recently told me this year there was more applications for less places, as over half the places are bring done by AI now.
So chances of a grad job are slim to nothing. Stop looking for it.

Thanks

It’s so hard. Going to open days with dd2 wonder whether it’s right. But frankly there aren’t jobs for non graduates either she loves her subject and I would feel sad if she missed out on those university years which dh I and dd1 so enjoyed. So we just ploughing on. Ours have eu passports and language skills so could try their luck elsewhere maybe. What had happened to us!!

ds1 also has found it hard. Most applications vanish into thin air and even on the few occasions he has been interviewed he hasn't always been responded to - so bloody rude. He did eventually manage to secure something by applying for temporary positions in a vaguely related field which I guess get less applicants. I am hoping this gives him a bit of work experience to lift his c.v. from the competing hundreds - time will tell.

Apologies if this has already been asked, but has he managed to develop any relationships with specialist recruiters? My daughter got her first grad role in this way at the end of 2024. They contacted her after she wrote on LinkedIn that she was looking for opportunities in her chosen field and then the recruiter did all the groundwork in getting her interviews and preparing her for them. The good ones will find out about roles before they’re put on job sites.

Aeronautical is extremely difficult to get into, we have a friend who’s son has his masters and not one person on his course has a job… yet. Even although he has applied for over 50 jobs.

dd has her masters in engineering and what worked for her was networking, some big engineering firms have open nights, you apply to attend and then you speak to as many people you can, you ask questions and hopefully they like you. That’s how dd got her graduate engineer role. She also did a summer internship with a big engineering company so this experience helped when answering interview questions as she had that experience to fall back on.

go on LinkedIn, get him to follow engineering companies and watch out for open nights.

good luck and keep going.

We are in the same situation OP so you and your DS have my sympathy. DS graduated 2 years ago, not engineering but a tech subject.
For 1st 6 months of applying he had 3 interviews and we were hopeful if he just kept going he would eventually be successfully. He’s applied for literally 100s in all 4 UK nations.
Unfortunately the job situation has got worse and I think he had 1 interview for a grad job in past year. He is still working in his student hospitality job.

The biggest issues is EVERY job is asking for experience in a similar role and he cannot get that experience. Has had loads of help from careers advisors but the entry level jobs in his area have been hit by AI.

Ive watched a bright, enthusiastic young person who, on graduation day, thought the world was his oyster to someone who’s just given up as feels no one wants him.

We've had a very serious discussion that he now needs to look at the areas where there are actually jobs. He is currently applying for a couple of vocational postgraduate courses which will qualify him for a very specific job, but it’s far removed for where he was aiming originally!

At this rate we’ll end up like Cuba with surgeons driving taxis

I am so sorry to hear this. It is so hard to see that hope diminish. The stress on the wider network is also worth acknowledging. Best wishes to your son for the next step. x

@anotherglass Sorry if I’ve missed it , but MEng or BEng? What discipline?

I don’t know if this has been suggested but train as a maths teacher? They get jobs!

Also look at smaller local companies.

BEng Aerospace. Teach First was mentioned upthread and it is an option.

I think there was a similar thread a few months ago and someone advised approaching small businesses on industrial estates. They said that these kind of places don't necessarily advertise roles, but are sometimes looking for young engineering graduates who can help modernise their operations.

Please note I have absolutely zero knowledge of this area - I am just passing on what I remember from the previous thread.

I’m sorry to read this OP. What a worry for you.

I’ve not read the whole thread but depending on your sons physique has he thought about doing a bit of general labouring. Obviously not the long term, but around here there’s always someone on fab and the agencies are full of asking for those with a CSC card (takes 30 minutes revision of common sense health and safety).

just something for the mean time and he may learn a skill for life. And I know that the construction industry are crying out for young lads with brains. Everyone thinks it’s for those not academic, but would you want somebody not academic in charge of a multi million pound building?