More than 80 percent of Scottish graduates believe college education prepared them sufficiently for entering the job market.

A new study commissioned by Glasgow Kelvin College as part of their National Opportunity Day campaign found that 62% of recent graduates felt a college education prepared them for pursuing further education, while 63% believed it set them up to continue to learn new skills.

The study was conducted by independent insights agency Opinion Matters and looked at 500 recent graduates. It also found that 65% of those regretted not taking opportunities available to them at college.

Glasgow Kelvin College celebrated a whopping 528% increase in attendance at its open day following the success of its inaugural National Opportunity Day (NOD) campaign last year.

NOD, on August 7, encourages Scots to seize the options available to them through college education. The first NOD in 2023 saw the college open its doors to people of all ages and stages. Droves of attendees gained insight into opportunities at college and how the clearing process can offer alternative routes to a fruitful career.

One person who is backing the campaign is Scottish business tycoon, Lord Haughey. The founder of City Facilities Management, which employs 9,000 people across Scotland the UK attended Springburn College, which is now home to Kelvin’s Springburn Campus as part of a commercial engineering apprenticeship.

Lord Haughey credits his time at college for ‘setting him up for life’ and he is ‘delighted to be supporting NOD 2024.

He said: “I’m proud to support National Opportunity Day for a second year, and to see the return of a worthwhile and important campaign. 

“Attending college set me up for life - the skills and confidence I gained there helped me find a direction for my career that worked for me. National Opportunity Day will once again shine a spotlight on the wealth of opportunities available to students through clearing, highlighting the possibilities on offer to people at all ages and stages through a practical and applicable college education.”

Robin Ashton, Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality at Glasgow Kelvin College, said: “We created National Opportunity Day in the hope that we could provide a moment to make a change and embark on a journey of endless possibilities, presenting college through clearing as a strong option to prospective students.

“The results from this survey, and the massive turnout from our last National Opportunity Day, has shown that that is the case. In the face of a challenging time for everyone, students are certainly seeing the potential in this option for further education - if they’re not already reaping the benefits of it.”

At Glasgow Kelvin College’s Open Day on Wednesday, August 7, the same day as National Opportunity Day, the college’s support teams will be on hand to help guide visitors  through the wide range of subjects and levels available.  

National Opportunity Day (Wednesday, August 7) provides a moment to make a change and embark on a journey of endless possibilities. To find out more visit here.