A new survey shows that 94% of GMIT graduates are either in employment or further education eight months after graduation.

Over half of graduates are in paid employment, and 39% are in further education according to a new report published by the GMIT Careers Office.

This was the first survey of its kind carried out by the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, which followed-up almost 2,000 graduates between November 2015 and June of this year.

The study shows that 55% of the graduates are in paid employment, 39% are in further education, and 5% are currently seeking employment.

Of those in employment, 92% are working in Ireland – and of that number, 69% are working along the Western seaboard.

Bridie Killoran of the GMIT Careers Office, and author of the First Destination Survey, says not only is there an increase in employment among graduates, but the research indicates that graduates are getting good jobs with prestigious companies.

The most prolific sectors of employment are in the Software and ICT sector, medical devices, bio-pharma, manufacturing, engineering, business and accountancy.

The study shows that the average salary for a GMIT graduate was between 20 and 30,000, while 5% were earning over 40,000.