JUST one in five students from Suffolk opts to remain in the county after graduating, according to a study published today.Suffolk's economy is being undermined and left “desperately short” of skilled workers due to the migration of graduates tempted by higher salaries, promotion opportunities and a wider choice of jobs elsewhere.

JUST one in five students from Suffolk opts to remain in the county after graduating, according to a study published today.

Suffolk's economy is being undermined and left “desperately short” of skilled workers due to the migration of graduates tempted by higher salaries, promotion opportunities and a wider choice of jobs elsewhere.

The report, commissioned by online recruiter jobsite.co.uk and chat room Student Room, claimed the findings could spark fresh fears of a “brain drain”.

A quarter of graduates will move to London and the rest will work elsewhere in Britain, it found.

Norwich was also highlighted as one of the hardest hit areas.

The report said: “With high-growth employment in many areas outside of London, such as Manchester and Bristol employers and local government need to do more to promote and attract home-grown talent.”

The survey of almost 1,400 students found that 30 per cent of undergraduates, about 700,000 students, were planning to move to London after graduation.

Yet despite pledging their immediate futures to London, the report found students were making long-term plans to live outside the capital.

The majority of those looking to move to London said they expected to spend less than a decade there.

Suffolk's “brain drain” was used as a driving force in the bid to bring a university to the county.

Jamie O'Connell, from Student Room, said: “It's great to see that today's students are so ambitious and are keen to start their career as soon as possible.

“But they should remember that there's more to life than work.

“Financially, life in London can be tough especially with high student debt.”

University Campus Suffolk welcomed its first students last month and a new campus is being built on Ipswich Waterfront.

University bosses said UCS was worth £1million per week to the local economy.

Does Suffolk suffers from the emigration of its graduates? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.