Why top employers keep choosing Nottingham
Stuart Marriott, Associate Director of the Careers and Employability Service, reflects on why we’ve held a top‑ten position in High Fliers for more than a decade and on our personal approach to supporting students and graduates.
Being named once again as one of the top three most targeted universities by the UK’s leading graduate employers in The Graduate Market by High Fliers Research 2026 confirms something I am privileged to witness every day: major recruiters actively choosing Nottingham as a priority destination to find their newest talent.
We have held a top five position for six consecutive years and a top ten position for more than a decade – sustained recognition that reflects the strength of our partnerships and the quality of the graduates we produce.
Our talent ecosystem is shaped with employers – not just for them
Stuart Marriott
Associate Director
Careers and Employability Service
We understand that employer trust grows from long term, collaborative relationships. It’s why we invest in building strong, mutually beneficial connections with employers across the region, throughout the UK and globally such as Boots, PwC, Capital One, Rolls Royce and Amazon, alongside major public‑sector bodies including the NHS and the Civil Service. Each year, we work with nearly 3,000 employers, and regardless of size or sector, we take the time to understand exactly what each organisation needs.
This personalised approach results in nearly 40,000 opportunities being promoted to our students and graduates through our free jobs board. Through placements, internships, employer events and experiences like our Consultancy Challenge and the Nottingham Advantage Award, we give students multiple ways to work with organisations, develop practical skills and understand what employers are looking for.
In addition, our nationally significant apprenticeship portfolio empowers employers to strengthen their future workforce in a different way. Organisations across the private and public sectors use our programmes to nurture new talent and build the occupationally specific skills required to drive performance in critical roles.
Our global alumni community also plays important role – from insight events and mentoring, to opening doors to networks and opportunities worldwide. Our Future Connections programme gives students from less advantaged backgrounds the chance to step inside alumni-led employers including Microsoft UK & Ireland, Bloomberg, NEF and EY. Our BICEP programme supports students from Black heritage backgrounds by connecting them with inspiring Black mentors and industry role models. These initiatives and others like them, help ensure that no path is out of reach.
Students who are capable, confident and ready to contribute
The High Fliers 2026 report highlights that the graduate job market is now more competitive than at any point in the past decade, with national recruitment levels falling back to those last seen in 2012. Students therefore require more than a degree to stand out - they need clarity about their strengths, confidence in their abilities and the skills to adapt to whatever their future holds.
It’s why our Careers and Employability Service combine both practical careers guidance and support with personal development and career planning - a service we are proud to offer for life.
Students also benefit from Nottingham’s rich developmental environment. With 400+ Students’ Union societies, extensive volunteering opportunities and an inclusive sport and wellbeing programme, they access experiences that build connections and hone transferable skills valued across every industry.
And it makes a measurable difference: more University of Nottingham graduates enter highly skilled employment than from any other UK university (HESA Graduate Outcomes publications 2021–2025; full time UK UG and PG graduates 2019–2023).
“The biggest thing the university gave me wasn’t just technical knowledge, but the way of thinking that employers look for – how to approach problems, structure your work, and communicate what you’re doing. What really helped me was the career and employability service – from CV guidance to interview preparation, as well as access to careers fairs and employer events, which helped me understand what companies were looking for and how to present myself professionally.”
Working together to keep moving forward
Nottingham’s success in the High Fliers ranking isn’t a short-term achievement - it’s the product of strategic, continuous collaboration between employers, academics, professional services colleagues, students and alumni.
To our current partners: thank you for your trust and continued engagement. To future partners: connect with us and discover what Nottingham graduates can offer. Together, we can grow our strategic partnerships and placement offers – creating opportunities that deliver real benefits for both our graduates and employers.
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Click on the link below to connect with the University of Nottingham’s Careers and Employability Service.
Partner with careers & employability