Graduate destinations of higher education students: a revised outcomes model

The ultimate goal of engaging in higher education study has typically been conceptualised as the attainment of full-time employment on completion of the course. The massification of the Australian higher education system, coupled with specific programs aimed at increasing the participation of diverse student groups in higher education irrevocably changed the socio-demographic profile of university graduates. A logical extension of this ‘new’ higher education graduate is the need for a revised understanding of the outcome that each of these student groups are seeking to achieve at the conclusion of their studies.Results from the recent trial of the Graduate Outcomes Survey have been used to populate a model of graduate outcomes that explores a range of graduate destinations that extend beyond full-time employment