UL Careers Early Careers Employer Survey 2026

Location of Graduate Vacancies

4% Northern Ireland

Seventy percent (70%) of graduate opportunities are based in Ireland, with the East (25%) , Mid West (21%) and South West (21%) emerging as the most common locations.

8% Border Region

Other regions such as the West (9%), Border (8%), South East (7%), and Midlands (5%) also feature, while Northern Ireland accounts for 4% of roles. The remaining 30% of graduate opportunities are international, led by the GB (32%) and EU (24%). Other destinations include North America (17%), the Middle East (9%), and Australia & New Zealand (6%), with smaller proportions in South & Central America (4%), Africa (4%) and the Far East (3%). This distribution highlights both strong regional demand and continued international mobility for graduate talent, as well as regional concentrations linked to industry hubs and employer presence.

9% West

5% Midlands

25% East

21% Mid-West

7% South East

32%

21% South West

24%

17%

9%

6%

4%

3% 4%

Far East

Africa

Middle East

North America

EU

GB

South & Central America

Australia & New Zealand

20