The bar chart illustrates the number of UK graduates and postgraduates who selected four different options after completing their studies in 2008.
Overall, it is clear that further study was by far the most popular choice for both groups, whereas voluntary work accounted for the smallest proportion. Additionally, the figures for graduates were consistently higher than those for postgraduates across all categories.
In detail, approximately 29,000 graduates opted for further study, compared with around 2,700 postgraduates. Part-time employment was the second most common destination, with just over 17,000 graduates and roughly 2,500 postgraduates choosing this option. By contrast, the number of students who were unemployed was considerably lower, standing at about 16,000 for graduates and slightly above 1,600 for postgraduates.
Voluntary work was the least preferred option, with only about 3,500 graduates participating, while the figure for postgraduates was significantly smaller, at approximately 350. Overall, the gap between the two groups remained substantial, particularly in the categories of further study and part-time employment.