UK Named a 2022 'Best Employer for New Graduates' by Forbes
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 26, 2022) — The University of Kentucky has been named one of Forbes' "Best Employers for New Graduates" for 2022, ranking fifth among the 25 higher education institutions included in the overall list.
“As a higher education institution, we are in a unique position to recruit our talented graduates,” Gina Dugas, acting vice president for UK Human Resources, said. “Employment opportunities while they are in school are a key part of the college experience for many of our students. It is a great way for them to see all the benefits UK has to offer as an employer as they begin their full-time careers.”
Statista surveyed 20,000 Americans with less than 10 years of professional experience working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees to determine the list. All surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions.
Respondents were asked to rate their employers on a variety of criteria, including the safety of their work environment, competitiveness of compensation, opportunities for advancement, effectiveness of diversity and inclusion efforts and company image. Statista then asked respondents how likely they would be to recommend their employer to others and to nominate organizations outside of their own.
UK provides various professional development programs for college students and recent grads, offering knowledge, training and access to leaders, aimed at empowering employers to be the creators and innovators of tomorrow.
One program, in particular, is the Employee Education Program (EEP). Through this program, employees are eligible for a tuition waiver for classes taken at the university. Through supplemental educational courses and programs of study, the university hopes to encourage self-improvement and career growth.
“This program gives UK a recruiting and retention edge,” Richard Amos, chief benefits officer, said. “For millennial new graduates, professional development opportunities are highly valued, such as pursuing a master’s degree, tuition free. For Gen X, free tuition and UK’s provisions to manage undergraduate student debt is highly valued.”
UK prides itself in being a workplace where new graduates can learn, develop and grow, while making a lasting positive impact on the world. This recognition is a testament to the invaluable work of so many staff, faculty and students who reach across disciplines and units to collaborate and improve the workplace at UK.
To view the full list of employers who made the list, click here. For more information on the university’s employment opportunities, visit the HR website here.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.