Universities UK’s new Future Jobs Roadmap includes a series of significant commitments in London
Date: 11 September 2026
Universities UK (UUK) has launched a new plan to strengthen the link between higher education and employers – and London Met is lending its support.
The Future Jobs Roadmap sets out a series of steps that universities, businesses and government can take to get more graduates into good jobs, and to provide lifelong careers support.
It was developed based on conversations with around 200 employers, business groups and universities and responds to the growing challenge facing young people and employers alike.
Professor Julie Hall, Vice-Chancellor of London Metropolitan University, said:
“Employers across the country acknowledged the immense value that graduates bring to the workplace but highlighted that work readiness remains a key concern and expressed a desire for more short-term work experience opportunities.
“Universities must play their part in preparing graduates for the workplace, as well as improving their relationships with small businesses in their local area if they are to continue the incredible work they do in driving economic growth.
"Students in the School of Computing and Digital Media at London Met benefit from the Career Development Learning module which develops skills and confidence through placements, real life project work designed with employers, research roles or entrepreneurial activity.”
All undergraduate courses at London Met include some form of work-related learning, such as a placement, client project or on-campus work experience.
A roadmap for London
The Roadmap will help graduates of every background, and the employers who need them, to succeed. The full version is available here.
Key commitments in London include:
- An ambition for all undergraduates to have access to meaningful work-based learning by 2035, with a milestone of reaching 50% by 2030.
- Ensuring AI tools are accessible to every undergraduate student and every course has a lecturer who is an ‘AI trailblazer’ so that graduates have the skills to be AI pioneers in the workplace.
- Providing graduates with universal lifetime entitlement to careers support both while they are at university and throughout their career to ensure they are set up for success and can navigate labour market change.
- Expanding employer co-designed learning and modular provision.
- Supporting regional graduate schemes to connect graduates with SMEs.
- Making it easier for employers to engage with universities.
The Roadmap was published by UUK at its annual conference, with support from Pearson and the British Chambers of Commerce.
It also calls on government to support youth employment through targeted measures to encourage recruitment and strengthen pathways into work.
Professor Malcolm Press, President of UUK and Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, said:
"This Roadmap is the result of universities listening carefully to employers about the challenges they face and the skills they need, and responding with action.
"The message we heard was clear: graduates possess significant talent and potential and employers value them highly. But we need to do even more to help students gain workplace experience, develop professional confidence and prepare for a changing economy.
"Universities want to work even more closely with employers, students and government to strengthen opportunities for graduates and support economic growth.”
