by Iesha , a recent graduate from Leeds Trinity University and SPARK member
Thousands of young people are graduating from UK universities every year full of skills, ambition, and energy to contribute to society. But instead of doors opening, they are walking straight into closed-off job markets, exploitative “entry-level” roles that require years of experience, and financial instability that threatens their futures.
At the very moment we most need graduates to contribute to our economy and communities, they are being pushed into despair, poverty, and long-term disadvantage.
The Crisis Facing Graduates
Graduates are applying for hundreds of jobs and getting nowhere, ghosted by recruiters, or told they can only access apprenticeships beneath their qualifications.
“Entry-level” postings often demand 2–3 years’ experience, creating a paradox where young people cannot start their careers because they have not already had one.
Exploitative unpaid or “voluntary” roles are being passed off as work, benefitting only those wealthy enough to survive without income.
The result? Thousands of capable, qualified graduates are stuck in limbo, unable to afford rent, unable to save, and relying on short-term work or struggling without any security.
And shockingly, many new graduates are not even eligible for Universal Credit, the UK’s basic safety net for those out of work. This means even after years of study, hard work, and debt, they are left without the financial support needed to cover essentials while they search for jobs.
This is not “character-building.” It is systemic failure!
Why It Matters
This is not just about individual graduates. It is a generational issue and an economic one.
When graduates cannot afford to live, they cannot take career-building opportunities.
When talent is wasted, productivity and innovation across the UK suffer.
When a whole generation is locked out of work and security, inequality deepens, mental health worsens, and society fractures.
What We’re Demanding
The Government must act now by:
- Ensuring all graduates are automatically eligible for Universal Credit if they are actively seeking work.
- Creating graduate-specific employment support routes within the Department for Work and Pensions, tailored to modern industries rather than directing degree-holders into underqualification schemes.
- Setting clear standards for recruiters and job boards to end misleading “entry-level” adverts demanding experience, expired listings, and exploitative unpaid work.
- Developing graduate employment programmes offering fairly paid roles that build careers in digital, creative, and emerging industries, where many young people are trained but opportunities are scarce.
A Voice from the Ground
I recently wrote to my MP explaining:
“I graduated with a First-Class Honours Degree in Digital Marketing, full of drive, determination, and ideas. Since then, I have applied for over 600 roles, and still find myself without stable employment, unable to afford rent, forced onto Universal Credit, and with no means of saving toward a deposit for a home, a basic aspiration that now feels completely out of reach.
Despite exploring every possible route into the job market, taking my CV door to door, contacting agencies, reaching out to companies on social media, speaking with university careers services, networking online and in-person, and even considering relocation, nothing has broken the cycle. I am met with ghosting, technical site errors, duplicate interviews, expired job posts, low-paid or unpaid “volunteering” positions, or entry-level jobs demanding 2–3 years’ experience. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a wider systemic failure that is hurting a generation of hard-working young people.
In addition to the career stagnation, I am now experiencing severe financial and mental health strain. Short-term contracts and temp work offer no security. The cost of commuting, especially without a car, narrows my opportunities further. National Insurance rises and a stagnant labour market have only worsened the situation, making employers hesitant to hire and damaging trade and mobility.
It is disheartening beyond words to walk into a Job Centre with a degree, only to be told about apprenticeships beneath my qualification level. Or to see “entry-level” jobs that demand years of experience, creating a paradox where we cannot begin a career because we have not already had one.
This is not just a personal crisis. It is a generational one.
And I speak with some personal history and pride. My great-grandfather once served as the local lead for Labour in Sunderland, fighting for fair work, dignity, and opportunity for his community. If he could see what his great-grandchild faces now, despite doing everything “right” he would be turning in his grave.
We were raised to believe that education and hard work would open doors. That has not been the reality.
There is a growing disconnect between what graduates are promised and what is actually attainable. A flood of qualified candidates, an influx of international workers and students (who should expand the job market, not compete for the same few roles),
and the loss of face-to-face hiring practices have created a bottleneck that is pushing capable individuals into despair.
What I ask from you is action and advocacy:
· Push for real entry-level opportunities, with accurate job descriptions and realistic experience requirements.
· Introduce measures to hold job boards and recruiters accountable for expired listings and ghosting.
· Support better pay transparency, minimum hours, and enforcement of the Real Living Wage.
· Advocate for graduate-specific employment programmes that offer paid, full-time roles matching modern skills and education.
· Fund or encourage local employment hubs where CVs can still be handed in, especially for those without a car or reliable transport.
· Increase public investment in digital and creative industries, where many of us have trained, but find no foothold.
This is not just about me. I represent thousands of others stuck in the same cycle. We want to work, we want to contribute, and we want to build a life. But we need help breaking through a gate that keeps getting higher and harder to access.
Please take this letter not just as a plea, but as a warning: the graduate crisis is a ticking time bomb. If left unaddressed, it will affect not only individuals but the fabric of our economy and society.”
My voice is not unique. It represents a generation shouting for help, dignity, and opportunity.
Call to Action
We were raised to believe that if we worked hard, studied, and earned qualifications, opportunity would follow. Instead, thousands face exclusion, instability, and exploitation.
It’s time to give graduates the safety net and support they deserve.
By signing this petition, you are calling on the UK Government to:
- Guarantee Universal Credit access to all graduates seeking work
- Stop exploitative job practices
- Create pathways that match graduate skills to meaningful opportunities
This generation has done its part. Now the Government must do theirs!