The graduates from the Faculty of Business and Economics are the quickest to find a job: 77% of them obtain one immediately after they finish their studies and 90% are employed within a year of completing their degree. Graduates from other faculties find a job immediately after university about 50% of the time. This number is based on the students’ response immediately after graduating when most are just beginning to look for work; the survey shows that 88% of them are employed within three months. This number can rise to over 90% for some faculties within a year of graduation. “Graduates from the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology are in high demand on the job market; 95% of them have a job within a year of finishing their master’s degree,” says Klára Tepalová from the MENDELU Rector’s Office, whose department analyses the students’ transition to working life.

“The graduate survey confirmed that our graduates would like to find a job in the field they studied and often work in agriculture, the food industry, environmental protection and waste management. Graduates from the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology usually head to a position in arboristics or forestry. As regards the economic disciplines, our graduates often work in marketing, management, finance and accounting. Graduates from the Faculty of Horticulture in Lednice find positions in horticulture, agriculture, architecture and urbanism while graduates from the Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies mostly work in government institutions, administration and business,” says Tepalová.

She adds that some graduates would have welcomed more focus on courses that would be directly applicable to the working world and language courses. The most popular courses include personal and family finance, forest protection, forest establishment, livestock reproduction, utilisation of plants and international viticulture and oenology. “Most of our graduates say they have enjoyed all aspects of their studies. Many of them specifically mention friendships with their classmates, the competent teachers and the pleasant environment among the things they liked,” concludes Tepalová.

The data is based on a survey of university graduates that was conducted in June and July. The questionnaire was distributed to two distinct groups: fresh graduates and those who graduated a year ago. Mendel University in Brno currently consists of five faculties and the Institute of Lifelong Learning. The student population is about 8,500 of which over 2,300 graduate every year.