TASK 1 (Pie charts): STAFF QUALIFICATIONS

Sample Answer

The provided graphic illustrates the credentials of staff members in a particular advertising enterprise in two distinct years: 1990 and 2010.

What is immediately striking upon observing the depiction is the rising prevalence of postgraduate degree holders among members of staff, evident in the ascent to dominance of those with a Doctor of Philosophy in scientific domains, even eclipsing staff owning a Master in Science. Equally noteworthy is that those attaining only undergraduate qualifications declined in terms of proportional distribution, while only among MSc holders did the share remain static.

Staff members pursuing three out of four postgraduate programmes reported upward momentum, with the sole exception of those reading Master of Science, wherein a stable trend was observable. Most striking was the proportional growth of those with doctoral degrees in scientific disciplines, with the figure more than doubling from 12% to nearly a third of all surveyed respondents (precisely 30%) – making this the most prominent qualification by 2010. At the other end of the spectrum, those attaining a Doctoral degree in Art-related subjects, though accounting for a modest share in 1990, followed a similar pattern, marked by a more than twofold increase to 5% by the end of the period. Notwithstanding such a substantial increase, its share remained the second smallest proportion in 2010. Meanwhile, Master of Arts, the second most common credential in 1990, rose by two percentage points in the following 20 years from 21% to 23%; however, it could not retain its ranking, which descended to the third position.

Nowhere other than among MSc holders did the percentage of staff remain unaltered, staying steady at 29%. Despite this fixation, the popularity of this degree fell to the second ranking, close behind PhD of Science.

Only within first degrees were declining trends seen. This downward trajectory was exemplified by those holding undergraduate certificates in science-related subjects, with the figure dropping by three percentage points from 20% to 17%. A largely similar fall, albeit more pronounced, was exhibited by staff possessing undergraduate degrees in Arts, whereby there was a sharp decrease to 2% – the lowest figure across the board.

Vocabulary