Graduates looking for career development in today's job market need to remain flexible in order to take advantage of the opportunities on offer, according to People Risk Solutions.
Andrew Pullman, managing director at the firm, explained that the recent economic slowdown has caused firms to tighten their purse strings and rein in their future investments.
"Also, graduate unemployment is at a high so that new graduates are also competing with previous intakes. However, as long as graduates are prepared to be flexible with their first job there are still opportunities out there," he added.
Mr Pullman went on to say that there are job opportunities for university leavers, particularly as marketers, economists and planners in the private sector.
"The issue for most firms now is how much should they invest when they are trying to keep the business afloat," he added.
His comments come after a survey conducted by the Association of Graduate Recruiters found that a third of graduate recruiters have failed to meet their targets due to a lack of suitably skilled candidates.
Source: Kate Burrows, Managers.org.uk, Monday 30th January 2012
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Tuesday 31 January 2012
Monday 30 January 2012
Graduate Jobs 2012 - Up or Down?!
Today saw the release by AGR's winter survey - the forecast for graduate jobs in 2012 according to 214 big name recruiters. The main points were salaries are up from £25k to £26k (the first time since 2008) although vacancies are down by 1.2%. You may recall another survey that came out a few weeks ago representing the Times 100 graduate recruiters (a slightly smaller cohort but still important) that predicted a RISE of 6.4% - so what's going on?
Well forecasts are just that, forecasts, so we shouldn't read too much into it but it does gives us a sense of recruiter confidence levels which when things are bumping along in the economy we should welcome. I'll tell you what's happening right now in our experience and that is 2011 was better than 2010. That's a fact. Over 200 clients used GRB to find graduates for their schemes, direct entry roles and many other graduate jobs that go unadvertised. So, what's our forecast for 2012? As long as recruiters remain confident about their business (like many in IT, Utilities or FMCG do) and continue to see the value of hiring exceptional talent to fuel their growth (which GRB shout about as much as possible) then things are still very much "open for business".
Source: Onrec.com, Monday 30th January 2012
Well forecasts are just that, forecasts, so we shouldn't read too much into it but it does gives us a sense of recruiter confidence levels which when things are bumping along in the economy we should welcome. I'll tell you what's happening right now in our experience and that is 2011 was better than 2010. That's a fact. Over 200 clients used GRB to find graduates for their schemes, direct entry roles and many other graduate jobs that go unadvertised. So, what's our forecast for 2012? As long as recruiters remain confident about their business (like many in IT, Utilities or FMCG do) and continue to see the value of hiring exceptional talent to fuel their growth (which GRB shout about as much as possible) then things are still very much "open for business".
Source: Onrec.com, Monday 30th January 2012
Sunday 29 January 2012
Fighting talk, as pay rises by 4% but vacancies fall
After another week of gloomy employment forecasts, those preparing to graduate this summer and test the icy waters of the jobs market might be forgiven for wanting to dive back into bed and pull their duvets safely over their heads.
With the economy suffering a worse than-expected contraction and amood of pessimism pervading the World Economic Forum in Davos, there was, at least, a modicum of good news from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). The employers' body anticipates starting salaries will increase by 4% this year which, if fulfilled, would represent the largest rise since 2005, when they went up by 7%.
"The predicted increase is significant and sizeable, particularly given the context of starting salaries remaining stagnant for the past three years," says Carl Gilleard, the AGR's chief executive. "This will, no doubt, be welcome news to the government and the higher education sector, but, moreover, to graduates themselves."
Yet even that rare morsel of optimism was tempered by the AGR's forecast that the overall number of graduate vacancies this year will fall by 1.2%. Given that a 1.7% rise in vacancies last year did little to meet demand in the febrile jobs market, it's clear that this year's university leavers can expect a tough scrap, even by the standards of recent years.
Many of last year's crop remain on the jobhunting scene. Research released earlier in the week by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit shows more than 80% of students who completed three-year degrees last summer, felt they had the skills employers sought, but 84% felt it was more difficult than ever to find work.
Professional services firm PwC, the UK's largest private sector graduate recruiter, is reporting record levels of interest in its 1,200 roles, as students appear to be starting the career process earlier and with more focus. "Applications are 33% ahead of this time last year and about half of all our full-time graduate roles for 2012 were secured before Christmas," says Gaenor Bagley, PwC's head of people. "We opened recruitment earlier this year, responding to students' interest and demand."
Around 380 of those roles will be filled by PwC's crop of student interns, of whom 85% go on to join the company full-time, and Bagley advises students to consider seriously the internship route. "[Interns] represent a great return on the investment," she says. "Students get a good look into our business, so they know what they're signing up to, and are better able to hit the ground running once they join full time. We think this is something that will only grow, and shows the need for students to be career-savvy at university, college or even school if they are to compete for the top jobs. They can't leave thinking about their career until university."
PwC's accountancy rival Ernst & Young has also witnessed a dramatic rise in competition for places. "We saw a 21% increase in applications for our graduate programme, and a staggering 43% for our undergraduate work experience programmes towards the end of last year," says Stephen Isherwood, Ernst & Young's head of graduate recruitment.
"To stand out from the crowd, graduates need to build up their work experience. It's a great way of showing potential employers that you have initiative, and are equipped with skills for the workplace. We're aiming to recruit over 50% of our graduate trainees from our various work experience and internship programmes, so it can also provide a real foot in the door."
The AGR survey also found that nearly all recruiters (96%) are actively exploiting online recruiting avenues such as social media, job boards and company websites to target students. But, despite this, a similarly high proportion still intend to visit universities and be on campuses. A signal, perhaps, that it may not be wise to cower under the duvet for too long.
Source: Graham Snowdon, Guardian.co.uk, Friday 27th January 2012
With the economy suffering a worse than-expected contraction and amood of pessimism pervading the World Economic Forum in Davos, there was, at least, a modicum of good news from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). The employers' body anticipates starting salaries will increase by 4% this year which, if fulfilled, would represent the largest rise since 2005, when they went up by 7%.
"The predicted increase is significant and sizeable, particularly given the context of starting salaries remaining stagnant for the past three years," says Carl Gilleard, the AGR's chief executive. "This will, no doubt, be welcome news to the government and the higher education sector, but, moreover, to graduates themselves."
Yet even that rare morsel of optimism was tempered by the AGR's forecast that the overall number of graduate vacancies this year will fall by 1.2%. Given that a 1.7% rise in vacancies last year did little to meet demand in the febrile jobs market, it's clear that this year's university leavers can expect a tough scrap, even by the standards of recent years.
Many of last year's crop remain on the jobhunting scene. Research released earlier in the week by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit shows more than 80% of students who completed three-year degrees last summer, felt they had the skills employers sought, but 84% felt it was more difficult than ever to find work.
Professional services firm PwC, the UK's largest private sector graduate recruiter, is reporting record levels of interest in its 1,200 roles, as students appear to be starting the career process earlier and with more focus. "Applications are 33% ahead of this time last year and about half of all our full-time graduate roles for 2012 were secured before Christmas," says Gaenor Bagley, PwC's head of people. "We opened recruitment earlier this year, responding to students' interest and demand."
Around 380 of those roles will be filled by PwC's crop of student interns, of whom 85% go on to join the company full-time, and Bagley advises students to consider seriously the internship route. "[Interns] represent a great return on the investment," she says. "Students get a good look into our business, so they know what they're signing up to, and are better able to hit the ground running once they join full time. We think this is something that will only grow, and shows the need for students to be career-savvy at university, college or even school if they are to compete for the top jobs. They can't leave thinking about their career until university."
PwC's accountancy rival Ernst & Young has also witnessed a dramatic rise in competition for places. "We saw a 21% increase in applications for our graduate programme, and a staggering 43% for our undergraduate work experience programmes towards the end of last year," says Stephen Isherwood, Ernst & Young's head of graduate recruitment.
"To stand out from the crowd, graduates need to build up their work experience. It's a great way of showing potential employers that you have initiative, and are equipped with skills for the workplace. We're aiming to recruit over 50% of our graduate trainees from our various work experience and internship programmes, so it can also provide a real foot in the door."
The AGR survey also found that nearly all recruiters (96%) are actively exploiting online recruiting avenues such as social media, job boards and company websites to target students. But, despite this, a similarly high proportion still intend to visit universities and be on campuses. A signal, perhaps, that it may not be wise to cower under the duvet for too long.
Source: Graham Snowdon, Guardian.co.uk, Friday 27th January 2012
Saturday 28 January 2012
Many UK businesses are finding it difficult to recruit skilled graduates
A new report from the Association for Graduate Recruiters has shown that 32% of businesses have struggled to find enough graduates to meet recruitment targets last year. The largest recruitment gap came from the engineering, transport and logistics industries missing recruitment targets by an amazing 80%.
The report which surveyed 214 of the UK’s largest employers including Barclays, IBM, McDonalds and PwC found that the number of companies that failed to recruit graduates had risen by more than a quarter in the last 12 months, despite record numbers of graduates finishing.
Collectively the businesses advertised over 21,000 new positions; however they failed to hit targets due to a perceived lack of skills from many graduates with companies complaining that graduate skill levels were not meeting requirements. The report shows that businesses did not feel the quality of applications were good enough, that graduates were not diligent enough when applying making too many mistakes or that they simply did not have the time and resources to re-train graduates that have skills missing.
The report also went on to highlight that they expect there will be a small drop in graduate jobs in 2012 down 1.2 on the previous year but argued that this was to be expected with current uncertain economic environment. There was some good news for graduates however as the average wage for graduates was expected to rise by 4% over the next year whereas it had remained static over the last few years.
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Friday 27th January 2012
The report which surveyed 214 of the UK’s largest employers including Barclays, IBM, McDonalds and PwC found that the number of companies that failed to recruit graduates had risen by more than a quarter in the last 12 months, despite record numbers of graduates finishing.
Collectively the businesses advertised over 21,000 new positions; however they failed to hit targets due to a perceived lack of skills from many graduates with companies complaining that graduate skill levels were not meeting requirements. The report shows that businesses did not feel the quality of applications were good enough, that graduates were not diligent enough when applying making too many mistakes or that they simply did not have the time and resources to re-train graduates that have skills missing.
The report also went on to highlight that they expect there will be a small drop in graduate jobs in 2012 down 1.2 on the previous year but argued that this was to be expected with current uncertain economic environment. There was some good news for graduates however as the average wage for graduates was expected to rise by 4% over the next year whereas it had remained static over the last few years.
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Friday 27th January 2012
Friday 27 January 2012
Third of companies 'struggling to recruit skilled graduates'
Almost a third of major companies are struggling to fill vacancies, despite record numbers of graduates searching for jobs, according to research.
Some 32 per cent of businesses fell short of recruitment targets last year after complaining that graduate skill levels often “did not meet their requirements”, it was revealed.
Figures show the number of organisations failing to hire enough students increased by almost a quarter in just 12 months.
Some employers said the quality of applicants was “not always good enough” and others did not have the time or money to re-train students who joined lacking key skills.
One company said that the panic for jobs meant graduates were rushing applications and making sloppy mistakes.
The disclosure – in a report by the Association for Graduate Recruiters – was made despite the fact that rising numbers of university leavers are being left jobless or forced to accept low-skilled positions as cleaners, shelf stackers and bar staff to make ends meet.
In a further blow, it was revealed that the total number of graduate jobs was expected to drop in 2012.
According to the report, vacancies will fall by 1.2 per cent, with most public and private sector employers citing concerns over the economy.
But Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said the marginal drop was off-set by two years of rising vacancy levels and should be seen as “good news against an uncertain national, European and global economy”.
“With the job market intrinsically linked to business confidence, I am cautiously optimistic for graduate recruitment in 2012 and it is encouraging to see that only a slight drop is predicted,” he said.
The AGR report was compiled after a survey of 214 major employers including BAE Systems, Barclays, BP, Deloitte, IBM, McDonalds, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Tesco and Unilever.
Collectively, they offered a total of 21,325 vacancies during the 2010/11 recruitment year – up by 1.7 per cent compared with 12 months earlier.
Despite the rise, some 32.3 per cent of employers said they were unable to meet their recruitment targets, with numbers increasing by almost a quarter in a year.
One employer from the public sector said the quality of applicants was “not always good”.
“When we’ve got a starting point of around 1,000 applicants, I’d be really surprised if I couldn’t fill six vacancies, whereas if I was looking for 30 I might struggle a bit,” the employer said.
The largest concern surrounded companies hiring engineering students, with transport and logistics firms saying they had missed recruitment targets by 80 per cent.
One employer said they regularly received good applications from international engineers but not British students.
A representative from an accountancy firm warned of mistakes on application forms, adding: “There’s a bit of panic out there so graduates are perhaps spending less time on their applications.”
The report also said that the average starting salary remained at £25,000 last year – the third year of stagnation in a row – but pay would rise by four per cent in 2012.
In a further conclusion, the AGR suggested that growing numbers of students would be attracted by two-year university degree courses in coming years.
But the report said employers “expressed some concern that students… will be prevented from developing skills due to heavy workloads” imposed by the shorter course.
Mr Gilleard said: “Employers do value graduates that have work experience and those students that have undertaken a year in industry as part of a four-year degree.
“Consequently, there are genuine concerns surrounding students undertaking two year degrees as they do not have as much time to gain workplace experience.”
Source: Graeme Paton, Telegraph.co.uk, Thursday 26th January 2012
Some 32 per cent of businesses fell short of recruitment targets last year after complaining that graduate skill levels often “did not meet their requirements”, it was revealed.
Figures show the number of organisations failing to hire enough students increased by almost a quarter in just 12 months.
Some employers said the quality of applicants was “not always good enough” and others did not have the time or money to re-train students who joined lacking key skills.
One company said that the panic for jobs meant graduates were rushing applications and making sloppy mistakes.
The disclosure – in a report by the Association for Graduate Recruiters – was made despite the fact that rising numbers of university leavers are being left jobless or forced to accept low-skilled positions as cleaners, shelf stackers and bar staff to make ends meet.
In a further blow, it was revealed that the total number of graduate jobs was expected to drop in 2012.
According to the report, vacancies will fall by 1.2 per cent, with most public and private sector employers citing concerns over the economy.
But Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said the marginal drop was off-set by two years of rising vacancy levels and should be seen as “good news against an uncertain national, European and global economy”.
“With the job market intrinsically linked to business confidence, I am cautiously optimistic for graduate recruitment in 2012 and it is encouraging to see that only a slight drop is predicted,” he said.
The AGR report was compiled after a survey of 214 major employers including BAE Systems, Barclays, BP, Deloitte, IBM, McDonalds, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Tesco and Unilever.
Collectively, they offered a total of 21,325 vacancies during the 2010/11 recruitment year – up by 1.7 per cent compared with 12 months earlier.
Despite the rise, some 32.3 per cent of employers said they were unable to meet their recruitment targets, with numbers increasing by almost a quarter in a year.
One employer from the public sector said the quality of applicants was “not always good”.
“When we’ve got a starting point of around 1,000 applicants, I’d be really surprised if I couldn’t fill six vacancies, whereas if I was looking for 30 I might struggle a bit,” the employer said.
The largest concern surrounded companies hiring engineering students, with transport and logistics firms saying they had missed recruitment targets by 80 per cent.
One employer said they regularly received good applications from international engineers but not British students.
A representative from an accountancy firm warned of mistakes on application forms, adding: “There’s a bit of panic out there so graduates are perhaps spending less time on their applications.”
The report also said that the average starting salary remained at £25,000 last year – the third year of stagnation in a row – but pay would rise by four per cent in 2012.
In a further conclusion, the AGR suggested that growing numbers of students would be attracted by two-year university degree courses in coming years.
But the report said employers “expressed some concern that students… will be prevented from developing skills due to heavy workloads” imposed by the shorter course.
Mr Gilleard said: “Employers do value graduates that have work experience and those students that have undertaken a year in industry as part of a four-year degree.
“Consequently, there are genuine concerns surrounding students undertaking two year degrees as they do not have as much time to gain workplace experience.”
Source: Graeme Paton, Telegraph.co.uk, Thursday 26th January 2012
Thursday 26 January 2012
Number of graduate job set to shrink in 2012
Companies have also raised the alarm over the value of two-year degrees – which have sprung up at several universities in response to the tuition fees rise – as students will have less time to take part in the extra-curricular activities and work experience that employers value.
The latest survey from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), out today, found that the number of graduate vacancies are predicted to fall by 1.2pc in 2012, compared to a 1.7pc rise last year.
Students tempted to cram a three-year degree course into two years to save money could also make it harder for themselves to land the placement they want after university, the employers said, as they will be prevented from developing sought-after skills because of heavy workloads.
Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said: "Employers predict two-year degrees will prove popular with students. However, employers do value graduates who have work experience, and those students that have undertaken a year in industry as part of a four-year degree.
"Consequently, there are genuine concerns surrounding students undertaking two-year degrees as they do not have as much time to gain workplace experience."
In brighter news, however, the average starting salary for graduates is predicted to increase by 4pc to £26,000 this year, after an "unprecedented period of stagnation". Starting wages have been stuck at £25,000 since 2009. The expected rise this year is the largest since 2005, when salaries increased by 7pc, the study of 214 graduate employers found.
Mr Gilleard said the wage increase was "significant", which coupled with only a modest fall in job vacancies, was a "relief" for the graduate jobs market amid economic uncertainty. "With the job market intrinsically linked to business confidence, I am cautiously optimistic for graduate recruitment in 2012 and it is encouraging to see that only a slight drop is predicted," he said.
In further evidence that the two-year degree programmes may not command respect, half of the employers surveyed said they had not heard of them. Universities including Northampton, Plymouth, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire and the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge already offer two-year degrees, with more institutions following suit as the tuition fees rise kicks in this year.
Source: Louisa Peacock, Telegraph.co.uk, Thursday 26th January 2012
The latest survey from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), out today, found that the number of graduate vacancies are predicted to fall by 1.2pc in 2012, compared to a 1.7pc rise last year.
Students tempted to cram a three-year degree course into two years to save money could also make it harder for themselves to land the placement they want after university, the employers said, as they will be prevented from developing sought-after skills because of heavy workloads.
Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said: "Employers predict two-year degrees will prove popular with students. However, employers do value graduates who have work experience, and those students that have undertaken a year in industry as part of a four-year degree.
"Consequently, there are genuine concerns surrounding students undertaking two-year degrees as they do not have as much time to gain workplace experience."
In brighter news, however, the average starting salary for graduates is predicted to increase by 4pc to £26,000 this year, after an "unprecedented period of stagnation". Starting wages have been stuck at £25,000 since 2009. The expected rise this year is the largest since 2005, when salaries increased by 7pc, the study of 214 graduate employers found.
Mr Gilleard said the wage increase was "significant", which coupled with only a modest fall in job vacancies, was a "relief" for the graduate jobs market amid economic uncertainty. "With the job market intrinsically linked to business confidence, I am cautiously optimistic for graduate recruitment in 2012 and it is encouraging to see that only a slight drop is predicted," he said.
In further evidence that the two-year degree programmes may not command respect, half of the employers surveyed said they had not heard of them. Universities including Northampton, Plymouth, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire and the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge already offer two-year degrees, with more institutions following suit as the tuition fees rise kicks in this year.
Source: Louisa Peacock, Telegraph.co.uk, Thursday 26th January 2012
Wednesday 25 January 2012
Students ‘believe they have necessary skills’ for job market
Most final-year students are optimistic about their long-term career prospects but are realistic about the problems they face making their first steps in the jobs market, research has shown.
More than 80 per cent of students about to complete three-year degree courses feel they now have the skills that employers need, while two-thirds described themselves as optimistic about their careers. Over a third (36 per cent) said it would be ‘easy’ for them to find the job they wanted, although most were more realistic, with 41 per cent admitting that they did not feel confident about their immediate future.
The figures come from a project called Futuretrack, a longitudinal study by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HESCU), which is tracking the destinations and attitudes of 50,000 students from the time they apply for university until two years after graduating.
A sizeable minority felt dissatisfied with what they had gained from university, with 10 per cent saying the skills they had developed were not wanted in the job market. While three-quarters said the university experience had made them more employable, a quarter expressed some doubt that this was the case.
Jane Artess, research director at HECSU said: “Students were more likely to believe that they had skills employers were looking for than they were to believe the skills they developed on their course had made them more employable, reflecting a realistic evaluation of the current economic climate.
“There is a big question mark over how quickly new graduates will find work; the graduate labour market continues to be tough and it will not be easy, particularly for those who lack employability skills. We urge graduates to seek advice from their university careers services as soon as possible.”
Kate Purcell, who leads the research at the University of Warwick says: “What Futuretrack has shown us is that despite positive views about skills development and overall satisfaction with the university experience, they lacked confidence about being able to find graduate jobs in the immediate future.”
Students who had developed high numeracy skills were significantly more confident about finding a job than history, philosophy, creative arts and communication students, while men were more confident than women about their skills and prospects.
Source: Peoplemanagement.co.uk, Monday 23rd January 2012
More than 80 per cent of students about to complete three-year degree courses feel they now have the skills that employers need, while two-thirds described themselves as optimistic about their careers. Over a third (36 per cent) said it would be ‘easy’ for them to find the job they wanted, although most were more realistic, with 41 per cent admitting that they did not feel confident about their immediate future.
The figures come from a project called Futuretrack, a longitudinal study by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HESCU), which is tracking the destinations and attitudes of 50,000 students from the time they apply for university until two years after graduating.
A sizeable minority felt dissatisfied with what they had gained from university, with 10 per cent saying the skills they had developed were not wanted in the job market. While three-quarters said the university experience had made them more employable, a quarter expressed some doubt that this was the case.
Jane Artess, research director at HECSU said: “Students were more likely to believe that they had skills employers were looking for than they were to believe the skills they developed on their course had made them more employable, reflecting a realistic evaluation of the current economic climate.
“There is a big question mark over how quickly new graduates will find work; the graduate labour market continues to be tough and it will not be easy, particularly for those who lack employability skills. We urge graduates to seek advice from their university careers services as soon as possible.”
Kate Purcell, who leads the research at the University of Warwick says: “What Futuretrack has shown us is that despite positive views about skills development and overall satisfaction with the university experience, they lacked confidence about being able to find graduate jobs in the immediate future.”
Students who had developed high numeracy skills were significantly more confident about finding a job than history, philosophy, creative arts and communication students, while men were more confident than women about their skills and prospects.
Source: Peoplemanagement.co.uk, Monday 23rd January 2012
Tuesday 24 January 2012
UK graduates ready to move abroad for career development opportunities
Half of UK graduates are prepared to move aboard in order to access better career development opportunities, a new report has claimed.
The Trendence Graduate Barometer UK, which surveyed 15,000 UK students, found that some of the best talent in Britain will leave for career development opportunities abroad.
Almost a third of students in the "high potential" category, those in the top 20 per cent of outstanding academic achievement, surveyed by the organisation said they would leave the UK to find positions abroad.
Trendence UK account director Kathryn Callow said: "We're at high risk of losing some of our most talented and hard working students to other countries."
She added that many of the students surveyed are willing to work more than 55 hours per week and want to perform to a high standard in their jobs, but are forced elsewhere in order to access career development opportunities.
The US topped the favoured destinations of graduates, followed by Australia and Canada.
Chartered MManagement Insitiute by Kate Burrows - 6th January 2012
The Trendence Graduate Barometer UK, which surveyed 15,000 UK students, found that some of the best talent in Britain will leave for career development opportunities abroad.
Almost a third of students in the "high potential" category, those in the top 20 per cent of outstanding academic achievement, surveyed by the organisation said they would leave the UK to find positions abroad.
Trendence UK account director Kathryn Callow said: "We're at high risk of losing some of our most talented and hard working students to other countries."
She added that many of the students surveyed are willing to work more than 55 hours per week and want to perform to a high standard in their jobs, but are forced elsewhere in order to access career development opportunities.
The US topped the favoured destinations of graduates, followed by Australia and Canada.
Chartered MManagement Insitiute by Kate Burrows - 6th January 2012
Monday 23 January 2012
National Rail launches graduate recruitment scheme across 27 companies in the rail sector
National Rail has launched the Track & Train scheme to give up to 100 graduates employment experience and training to help further their careers.
The initiate, which is supported by 27 companies across the rail sector and aimed at people who have graduated from university in the last two years, will last for 18 months, and is structured to give graduates an insight into each of the main elements of the rail industry. Successful candidates will start their first placement in April 2012.
The branding and recruitment advertising campaign designed to promote Track & Train and to attract candidates to enrol for the scheme has been devised and created by GradWeb's Intelligent Attraction team.
The first part of this process was to develop the Track & Train brand. As an entirely new entity that represents 27 companies across the rail sector, GradWeb developed the creative concept for the Track & Train name, logo, and branding for the campaign to be used across all marketing vehicles.
In order to target an appropriate graduate audience an online / offline advertising campaign using role profiles and targeted emails promotes Track & Train to potential candidates. GradWeb has developed the microsite to be the destination point and engagement portal for all interested candidates, so the recruitment advertising, functionality and design of the site are crucial for the success of the campaign.
Candidates apply for Track & Train via the microsite and their applications are managed through the integrated GradWeb 2.0 online recruitment system. Candidates complete a full competency-based application form after the automated killer question and registration stages.
During the recruitment process GradWeb will take care of all response handling and the selection process. A project management team provides a single point of contact for delivery and management of the recruitment processes. This essential service provides Track & Train stakeholders with day-to-day contact and reporting for every process including application volumes, response handling, and screening to ensure the campaign is meeting its targets.
Patrick Butcher, Network Rail's group finance director, responsible for the scheme, said: "We know that there are many smart, talented individuals out there that haven't had their break yet and as a growing industry we can work together to provide challenging, valuable and paid work experience to kick start their careers.
"What sets this scheme apart is those involved will work across the rail industry and by linking it all together, develop a fantastic knowledge and understanding of the challenges we all face and the opportunities for the future."
HR Magazine by David Woods -19th January 2012
Sunday 22 January 2012
Ken Livingstone's five-point plan to create 11,500 jobs for the young
Ken Livingstone today announced a five-point strategy, alongside Labour's Ed Miliband and Ed Balls, to boost London's economy and create 11,500 jobs for young people.
The Labour mayoral candidate, who was also pledging to build 5,000 homes in the capital and cut public transport fares, was appearing in Camden with the Labour leader and shadow chancellor in the first major public policy launch of his campaign to be elected next year.
As part of the plan, Labour vowed to temporarily reverse the Government's VAT rise, putting £450 back in the pockets of families with children. VAT on home improvements would be cut to five per cent for a year and up to 334,000 small businesses would get a tax break to take on new workers.
Mr Livingstone said: "In a city where, disgracefully, one in 10 is out of work thanks to the Conservative Party's failed policies we need the plan for jobs and growth that Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are proposing.
"Labour's plan to cut VAT and invest in new jobs would make a real difference, putting the interests of ordinary Londoners first - and I will follow the same course by putting money in people's pockets by cutting fares if I am elected."
Tory Mayor Boris Johnson has said Mr Livingstone's fare cuts would mean the cancellation of transport network upgrades.
Mr Miliband said: "These are...worrying times for millions of London families. With every downgrade in growth, with every new set of unemployment figures, we can see the Government's plan is failing Londoners.
"Today we are calling for an emergency Budget now and a clear five-point plan to create jobs, help struggling families and support small businesses in London."
London Evening Standard - 17th October 2011
The Labour mayoral candidate, who was also pledging to build 5,000 homes in the capital and cut public transport fares, was appearing in Camden with the Labour leader and shadow chancellor in the first major public policy launch of his campaign to be elected next year.
As part of the plan, Labour vowed to temporarily reverse the Government's VAT rise, putting £450 back in the pockets of families with children. VAT on home improvements would be cut to five per cent for a year and up to 334,000 small businesses would get a tax break to take on new workers.
Mr Livingstone said: "In a city where, disgracefully, one in 10 is out of work thanks to the Conservative Party's failed policies we need the plan for jobs and growth that Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are proposing.
"Labour's plan to cut VAT and invest in new jobs would make a real difference, putting the interests of ordinary Londoners first - and I will follow the same course by putting money in people's pockets by cutting fares if I am elected."
Tory Mayor Boris Johnson has said Mr Livingstone's fare cuts would mean the cancellation of transport network upgrades.
Mr Miliband said: "These are...worrying times for millions of London families. With every downgrade in growth, with every new set of unemployment figures, we can see the Government's plan is failing Londoners.
"Today we are calling for an emergency Budget now and a clear five-point plan to create jobs, help struggling families and support small businesses in London."
London Evening Standard - 17th October 2011
Saturday 21 January 2012
Higher car insurance premiums for unemployed criticised
Insurers are being criticised for charging jobless people more for car insurance, with UK unemployment at its highest since 1996.
Research with three brokers for the BBC found that car insurance premiums averaged 30% more for those out of work but could be up to 63% higher.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said data showed unemployment was an additional risk for insurers.
Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com said charging more was "scandalous".
The BBC asked three brokers - via the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) - to work out a car insurance premium for an office worker - who, in the first instance, was employed, and in the second, unemployed.
Broker A's best deal was from Aviva; the premium was 23% higher for being unemployed. The best deals found by Broker B - with RSA - saw a 31% increase. Broker C compared the lowest premiums from two different companies - finding a 63% difference.
When seeking insurance quotes for a wider range of examples of jobless people, using different postcode areas and varying employment histories, the increase - compared to a person in a job - averaged out at 30%.
Unemployed Cambridge architect Chris Palmer told the BBC that when he renewed his car insurance after being made redundant last November, his insurer increased his premium by £98 - a 40% rise.
"It is apparently considered that the unemployed will use their cars more to travel to more locations to seek work. If one is retired, however, the premium remains the same," he said.
"I would think that retired persons are likely to run their cars far more for recreational reasons; it is in any event, outright discrimination against an already disadvantaged section of society."
Mr Palmer said he subsequently negotiated a lesser increase with his insurer - £50 - after finding a better deal elsewhere.
'Minefield'
Graeme Trudgill, from the British Insurance Brokers' Association, said unemployed people were viewed as less likely to maintain their vehicles and as higher credit risks.
He said insurers might also have concerns over what their vehicles would be used for and whether they would be used more often.
"Our insurance brokers tell us that when they look around, they see some insurance companies don't charge anything if you lose your job, whereas others can charge up to 63% more," he said.
"The average is probably about 30% additional when you lose your job. So it's a bit of a minefield."
AA Insurance said unemployed people were more likely to put in a claim. Spokesman Ian Crowder told the BBC different insurers treated individuals in different ways, but that most would increase their premiums for customers who lost their jobs.
"In the case of the AA, which is a broker, it has negotiated with its panel not to increase premiums immediately in order to allow customers to find a new job," he said.
"Unemployed people are likely to be distracted because of their circumstances, likely to be driving along unfamiliar roads and attempting to find specific addresses in search of job interviews."
Fraudulent claims
Mr Crowder said the long-term unemployed were more likely to be claimants than those just out of work, and their financial circumstances were seen as more likely to lead them to make fraudulent claims.
The ABI said employment status was one of many factors used to set premiums.
"Insurers use actuarial data to calculate the additional risk that may be associated with being part-time employed, full-time employed, student, retired or unemployed," it said in a statement.
"Many insurers have reported there is an additional risk associated with being unemployed. We understand that this can cause difficulties for people, but it is a quantified factor supported by evidence."
Actuarial science is a method of using mathematics and statistics to calculate risk.
ABI advised customers to shop around and think of other ways of reducing their premiums, such as keeping their mileage down.
But Mr Lewis said premiums should not be increased for those out of work.
"Car insurance shouldn't be going up at the moment when you can least afford it," he said.
"The person hasn't changed, their driving hasn't changed, this is the curse of mass risk tables."
'Line of least resistance'
Transport Select Committee chairwoman Louise Ellman rejected the claim that unemployed people were more likely to put in fraudulent claims.
"Escalating claims resulting in cold calling from claims management companies are pushing up the cost of premiums and I have not seen any evidence that these are disproportionately from unemployed people," she said.
On Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics said unemployment had risen to its highest rate since January 1996, at 8.4%.
BBC News Online by Andrew Fagg - 21st January 2011
Research with three brokers for the BBC found that car insurance premiums averaged 30% more for those out of work but could be up to 63% higher.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said data showed unemployment was an additional risk for insurers.
Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com said charging more was "scandalous".
The BBC asked three brokers - via the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) - to work out a car insurance premium for an office worker - who, in the first instance, was employed, and in the second, unemployed.
Broker A's best deal was from Aviva; the premium was 23% higher for being unemployed. The best deals found by Broker B - with RSA - saw a 31% increase. Broker C compared the lowest premiums from two different companies - finding a 63% difference.
When seeking insurance quotes for a wider range of examples of jobless people, using different postcode areas and varying employment histories, the increase - compared to a person in a job - averaged out at 30%.
Unemployed Cambridge architect Chris Palmer told the BBC that when he renewed his car insurance after being made redundant last November, his insurer increased his premium by £98 - a 40% rise.
"It is apparently considered that the unemployed will use their cars more to travel to more locations to seek work. If one is retired, however, the premium remains the same," he said.
"I would think that retired persons are likely to run their cars far more for recreational reasons; it is in any event, outright discrimination against an already disadvantaged section of society."
Mr Palmer said he subsequently negotiated a lesser increase with his insurer - £50 - after finding a better deal elsewhere.
'Minefield'
Graeme Trudgill, from the British Insurance Brokers' Association, said unemployed people were viewed as less likely to maintain their vehicles and as higher credit risks.
He said insurers might also have concerns over what their vehicles would be used for and whether they would be used more often.
"Our insurance brokers tell us that when they look around, they see some insurance companies don't charge anything if you lose your job, whereas others can charge up to 63% more," he said.
"The average is probably about 30% additional when you lose your job. So it's a bit of a minefield."
AA Insurance said unemployed people were more likely to put in a claim. Spokesman Ian Crowder told the BBC different insurers treated individuals in different ways, but that most would increase their premiums for customers who lost their jobs.
"In the case of the AA, which is a broker, it has negotiated with its panel not to increase premiums immediately in order to allow customers to find a new job," he said.
"Unemployed people are likely to be distracted because of their circumstances, likely to be driving along unfamiliar roads and attempting to find specific addresses in search of job interviews."
Fraudulent claims
Mr Crowder said the long-term unemployed were more likely to be claimants than those just out of work, and their financial circumstances were seen as more likely to lead them to make fraudulent claims.
The ABI said employment status was one of many factors used to set premiums.
"Insurers use actuarial data to calculate the additional risk that may be associated with being part-time employed, full-time employed, student, retired or unemployed," it said in a statement.
"Many insurers have reported there is an additional risk associated with being unemployed. We understand that this can cause difficulties for people, but it is a quantified factor supported by evidence."
Actuarial science is a method of using mathematics and statistics to calculate risk.
ABI advised customers to shop around and think of other ways of reducing their premiums, such as keeping their mileage down.
But Mr Lewis said premiums should not be increased for those out of work.
"Car insurance shouldn't be going up at the moment when you can least afford it," he said.
"The person hasn't changed, their driving hasn't changed, this is the curse of mass risk tables."
'Line of least resistance'
Transport Select Committee chairwoman Louise Ellman rejected the claim that unemployed people were more likely to put in fraudulent claims.
"Escalating claims resulting in cold calling from claims management companies are pushing up the cost of premiums and I have not seen any evidence that these are disproportionately from unemployed people," she said.
On Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics said unemployment had risen to its highest rate since January 1996, at 8.4%.
BBC News Online by Andrew Fagg - 21st January 2011
Friday 20 January 2012
Magdalen Oxford gets rejection letter from student
A student has sent a rejection letter to the University of Oxford following her interview for a place there.
Elly Nowell parodied the institution's own rejection letters, stating Magdalen College "did not quite meet the standard" of other universities.
Ms Nowell, 19, from Winchester, Hampshire, told the BBC the interview left her feeling like "the only atheist in a gigantic monastery."
A university spokesman said it received only a few complaints from applicants.
He added: "Of the 10,000 interviews that we conduct over the course of the admissions period it is a very low number."
'Traditions and rituals'
Ms Nowell's letter began: "I have now considered your establishment as a place to read Law (Jurisprudence).
"I very much regret to inform you that I will be withdrawing my application.
"I realise you may be disappointed by this decision, but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview I am afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering."
Should the university wish to "reapply", her letter continued, "while you may believe your decision to hold interviews in grand formal settings is inspiring, it allows public school applicants to flourish... and intimidates state school applicants, distorting the academic potential of both".
She also criticised Magdalen College's "traditions and rituals", and the gap between "minorities and white middle class students".
However, the university said in a statement: "Of the seven UK students who received offers for law and joint school courses at Magdalen, only one was from an independent school."
'Media exposure'
Ms Nowell, who went to Brockenhurst College, said she applied to the university to keep her options open but now hopes to be accepted into University College London.
She said: "It was while I was at interview that I finally noticed that subjecting myself to the judgement of an institution which I fundamentally disagreed with was bizarre.
"I spent my entire time there laughing at how seriously everything was being taken."
But former Magdalen College student Gemma Pouncy said her state school background did not pose a problem when she applied at the university.
Ms Pouncy who is 22 and from Somerset, added: "When I went to interview I felt that I was put at ease. I felt challenged but I expected to be challenged.
"Yes I felt in awe but it made me want to study there more.
"All my exposure of the place had come through the media but it wasn't like that at all."
Ms Nowell admitted that her email was not meant to be taken 100% seriously.
She said: "Oxbridge is a fairly ridiculous and prominent elitist institution, yet unlike the monarchy or investment bankers it is rarely mocked.
"Even comedians tend to avoid Oxbridge as a subject.
"Being a successful student should depend on the student, not on whether or not a couple of academics have deemed you to shine in a twenty minute interview."
BBC News England - 18th January 2012
Elly Nowell parodied the institution's own rejection letters, stating Magdalen College "did not quite meet the standard" of other universities.
Ms Nowell, 19, from Winchester, Hampshire, told the BBC the interview left her feeling like "the only atheist in a gigantic monastery."
A university spokesman said it received only a few complaints from applicants.
He added: "Of the 10,000 interviews that we conduct over the course of the admissions period it is a very low number."
'Traditions and rituals'
Ms Nowell's letter began: "I have now considered your establishment as a place to read Law (Jurisprudence).
"I very much regret to inform you that I will be withdrawing my application.
"I realise you may be disappointed by this decision, but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview I am afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering."
Should the university wish to "reapply", her letter continued, "while you may believe your decision to hold interviews in grand formal settings is inspiring, it allows public school applicants to flourish... and intimidates state school applicants, distorting the academic potential of both".
She also criticised Magdalen College's "traditions and rituals", and the gap between "minorities and white middle class students".
However, the university said in a statement: "Of the seven UK students who received offers for law and joint school courses at Magdalen, only one was from an independent school."
'Media exposure'
Ms Nowell, who went to Brockenhurst College, said she applied to the university to keep her options open but now hopes to be accepted into University College London.
She said: "It was while I was at interview that I finally noticed that subjecting myself to the judgement of an institution which I fundamentally disagreed with was bizarre.
"I spent my entire time there laughing at how seriously everything was being taken."
But former Magdalen College student Gemma Pouncy said her state school background did not pose a problem when she applied at the university.
Ms Pouncy who is 22 and from Somerset, added: "When I went to interview I felt that I was put at ease. I felt challenged but I expected to be challenged.
"Yes I felt in awe but it made me want to study there more.
"All my exposure of the place had come through the media but it wasn't like that at all."
Ms Nowell admitted that her email was not meant to be taken 100% seriously.
She said: "Oxbridge is a fairly ridiculous and prominent elitist institution, yet unlike the monarchy or investment bankers it is rarely mocked.
"Even comedians tend to avoid Oxbridge as a subject.
"Being a successful student should depend on the student, not on whether or not a couple of academics have deemed you to shine in a twenty minute interview."
BBC News England - 18th January 2012
Thursday 19 January 2012
Schools abandon GCSEs in favour of new exam
Growing numbers of state schools are abandoning the GCSE exam in favour of its rival designed along the lines of the traditional O-level.
New figures show that just over 650 schools are now sitting the International GCSE exam devised by Cambridge International Examinations (CiE).
The figures show the numbers have more than trebled in the past two years with the biggest increase in take-up being in the state sector.
Up until the last election, only 16 state schools were among the 200 taking the exam as rules forbade them from using public finance for them. Now, according to Ann Puntis, chief executive of CiE, part of Cambridge University, the split is even with 350 independent and 320 state schools.
A second exam board offering the IGCSE, Edexcel, has seen its numbers swell from just over 500 to 1,030 over a similar period.
Schools said that the IGCSE – which eschews coursework and concentrates more on open-ended exam questions to test critical thinking skills – were a better preparation for A-levels. Ms Puntis said the most popular subjects for schools transferring were those with essay-style questions such as English, ;modern foreign languages and history.
The Independent: Richard Garner, Education Editor - 14th January 2012
New figures show that just over 650 schools are now sitting the International GCSE exam devised by Cambridge International Examinations (CiE).
The figures show the numbers have more than trebled in the past two years with the biggest increase in take-up being in the state sector.
Up until the last election, only 16 state schools were among the 200 taking the exam as rules forbade them from using public finance for them. Now, according to Ann Puntis, chief executive of CiE, part of Cambridge University, the split is even with 350 independent and 320 state schools.
A second exam board offering the IGCSE, Edexcel, has seen its numbers swell from just over 500 to 1,030 over a similar period.
Schools said that the IGCSE – which eschews coursework and concentrates more on open-ended exam questions to test critical thinking skills – were a better preparation for A-levels. Ms Puntis said the most popular subjects for schools transferring were those with essay-style questions such as English, ;modern foreign languages and history.
The Independent: Richard Garner, Education Editor - 14th January 2012
Wednesday 18 January 2012
Oxbridge MAs: an unfair head start in the graduate rat-race
Labour MP Chris Leslie has been campaigning to end Oxford and Cambridge’s right to award all students an honorary MA three years after they graduate. For a small fee, Cambridge and Oxford students can convert their BA to an MA (Cantab.) or MA (Oxon.).
Initially, this campaign annoyed me. I did my undergrad degree at Cambridge, and I’m looking forward to heading back there in 2013 for a repeat of the bizarre graduation ceremony I took part in 18 months ago.
I was annoyed with Leslie because I could not see the point. Aren’t there more important problems at Oxbridge, like the dearth of black students or the private school bias? I can’t help feeling that a country that tolerates Guantanamo Bay and allows James May’s face to appear on the side of buses has bigger problems.
Leslie points to a survey of employers which found 62% didn’t know the difference between a real MA and the automatically awarded Oxbridge MA. Even if you ignore the obvious flaws in such a survey, I still find it hard to blame Oxford and Cambridge for HR departments’ inability to decipher the basics of a CV.
But, the more I thought about it, the harder I found it to justify this particular privilege. Even if it doesn’t indicate anything other than a clean criminal record (you need one to upgrade your degree), the ‘free’ MA is a pointless anachronism.
Do Oxford and Cambridge really need to rely on tradition to distinguish themselves from other universities? If the two Universities want to hold on to their special status in a competitive education market, they should earn it on merit, not by recourse to ancient customs.
It is top quality research, one on one teaching and world-class teaching staff that make Oxbridge special – they should be encouraged to preserve those strengths in competitive conditions.
Oxbridge graduates often justify their special status by pointing to the additional work they have to do at University. But there are people at other Universities who worked far harder than I ever could have at Cambridge.
Students at Oxford and Cambridge massively benefit from the quality of education they receive. They don’t need any extra prizes.
London Evening Standard, by Jack Rivlin - 31st October 2011
Initially, this campaign annoyed me. I did my undergrad degree at Cambridge, and I’m looking forward to heading back there in 2013 for a repeat of the bizarre graduation ceremony I took part in 18 months ago.
I was annoyed with Leslie because I could not see the point. Aren’t there more important problems at Oxbridge, like the dearth of black students or the private school bias? I can’t help feeling that a country that tolerates Guantanamo Bay and allows James May’s face to appear on the side of buses has bigger problems.
Leslie points to a survey of employers which found 62% didn’t know the difference between a real MA and the automatically awarded Oxbridge MA. Even if you ignore the obvious flaws in such a survey, I still find it hard to blame Oxford and Cambridge for HR departments’ inability to decipher the basics of a CV.
But, the more I thought about it, the harder I found it to justify this particular privilege. Even if it doesn’t indicate anything other than a clean criminal record (you need one to upgrade your degree), the ‘free’ MA is a pointless anachronism.
Do Oxford and Cambridge really need to rely on tradition to distinguish themselves from other universities? If the two Universities want to hold on to their special status in a competitive education market, they should earn it on merit, not by recourse to ancient customs.
It is top quality research, one on one teaching and world-class teaching staff that make Oxbridge special – they should be encouraged to preserve those strengths in competitive conditions.
Oxbridge graduates often justify their special status by pointing to the additional work they have to do at University. But there are people at other Universities who worked far harder than I ever could have at Cambridge.
Students at Oxford and Cambridge massively benefit from the quality of education they receive. They don’t need any extra prizes.
London Evening Standard, by Jack Rivlin - 31st October 2011
Tuesday 17 January 2012
Graduate jobs 'taken by work experience students'
More than a third of jobs for new graduates are taken by people who have already had work experience with that employer, according to the latest update on the graduate jobs market.
The report from High Fliers Research shows that employers are recruiting more graduates - but there are record numbers of graduates chasing jobs.
Employers are reporting a 19% average increase in applications.
Those without any work experience have "little or no chance", says the report.
The Graduate Market in 2012 report, based on a survey of a hundred leading employers, reveals a recovering jobs market for graduates.
There will be 6% more graduate entry jobs for university leavers in 2012 than there were in 2011, suggests the research.
Job hunting
But this optimism is tempered by the increase in job-hunting graduates, with record numbers of university leavers competing with those who are still looking for jobs from previous years.
The research suggests that a third of job applicants for the current round of graduate entry posts are from previous cohorts.
The report also shows that job-seeking young people leaving university are at a disadvantage compared with their counterparts from a few years ago.
Despite signs of growth, graduate vacancies have still not recovered to the levels from before the financial crisis, says the research. And there are 50,000 more graduates leaving university this year compared with 2007.
Starting salaries have also remained stuck for three consecutive years, with a median figure of £29,000.
But the report highlights how many graduate jobs are being taken by young people who already have a connection with an employer, such as work experience during holidays or placements as part of a course.
Among investment banks, three-quarters of graduate jobs are taken by applicants who have already spent time with the company.
More than half the employers expect would-be recruits to have some kind of work experience, without which they are unlikely to be considered, regardless of their qualifications.
Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers Research, welcomed the increase in graduate vacancies.
But he said it was a "stark warning to the Class of 2012 that in a highly competitive graduate job market, new graduates who've not had any work experience at all during their time at university have little hope of landing a well-paid job with a leading employer".
BBC News Website, Sean Coughlan, Education Correspondent
11th January 2012
The report from High Fliers Research shows that employers are recruiting more graduates - but there are record numbers of graduates chasing jobs.
Employers are reporting a 19% average increase in applications.
Those without any work experience have "little or no chance", says the report.
The Graduate Market in 2012 report, based on a survey of a hundred leading employers, reveals a recovering jobs market for graduates.
There will be 6% more graduate entry jobs for university leavers in 2012 than there were in 2011, suggests the research.
Job hunting
But this optimism is tempered by the increase in job-hunting graduates, with record numbers of university leavers competing with those who are still looking for jobs from previous years.
The research suggests that a third of job applicants for the current round of graduate entry posts are from previous cohorts.
The report also shows that job-seeking young people leaving university are at a disadvantage compared with their counterparts from a few years ago.
Despite signs of growth, graduate vacancies have still not recovered to the levels from before the financial crisis, says the research. And there are 50,000 more graduates leaving university this year compared with 2007.
Starting salaries have also remained stuck for three consecutive years, with a median figure of £29,000.
But the report highlights how many graduate jobs are being taken by young people who already have a connection with an employer, such as work experience during holidays or placements as part of a course.
Among investment banks, three-quarters of graduate jobs are taken by applicants who have already spent time with the company.
More than half the employers expect would-be recruits to have some kind of work experience, without which they are unlikely to be considered, regardless of their qualifications.
Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers Research, welcomed the increase in graduate vacancies.
But he said it was a "stark warning to the Class of 2012 that in a highly competitive graduate job market, new graduates who've not had any work experience at all during their time at university have little hope of landing a well-paid job with a leading employer".
BBC News Website, Sean Coughlan, Education Correspondent
11th January 2012
Monday 16 January 2012
Universities to make lower grade offers to poor students
Growing numbers of students applying to university face checks on their school and family background as part of a drive to break the middle-class monopoly on places, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
Figures suggest almost two-thirds of universities will employ data covering students’ social class, parental education or school performance next year to give the most disadvantaged candidates a better chance of getting on to degree courses.
It represents a sharp rise on the four-in-10 universities currently relying on “contextual” data during admissions.
In a move that could leave institutions open to charges of “social engineering”, increasing numbers of admissions tutors are planning to employ information to make lower-grade offers to teenagers from poor-performing comprehensives or fast-track deprived candidates into interviews.
The changes come after the Government’s Office for Fair Access warned that universities had to be more “ambitious” in their efforts to create a diverse student body.
For the first time next year, they will be required to set targets for the number of disadvantaged students being admitted in a move that coincides with a sharp rise in tuition fees.
The Telegraph - Graeme Paton, Education Editor, 16th December 2011
Figures suggest almost two-thirds of universities will employ data covering students’ social class, parental education or school performance next year to give the most disadvantaged candidates a better chance of getting on to degree courses.
It represents a sharp rise on the four-in-10 universities currently relying on “contextual” data during admissions.
In a move that could leave institutions open to charges of “social engineering”, increasing numbers of admissions tutors are planning to employ information to make lower-grade offers to teenagers from poor-performing comprehensives or fast-track deprived candidates into interviews.
The changes come after the Government’s Office for Fair Access warned that universities had to be more “ambitious” in their efforts to create a diverse student body.
For the first time next year, they will be required to set targets for the number of disadvantaged students being admitted in a move that coincides with a sharp rise in tuition fees.
The Telegraph - Graeme Paton, Education Editor, 16th December 2011
Sunday 15 January 2012
SMEs need infrastructure for bringing graduates on board
Over half of students at top UK universities cannot name a single SME (small or medium-sized enterprise), according to a survey from internship recruitment agency Instant Impact Interns.
However, 64% of the students surveyed also said that wanted to start their career at an SME and the Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement highlighted the importance of such firms in stimulating economic recovery.
Rob Blythe, directors of Instant Impact Interns, says: “George Osborne has announced plans to stimulate economic recovery by getting credit flowing to Britain's small businesses. But to sustain their growth we also need to get talent flowing to Britain's small businesses.”
Co-director Felix Mitchell adds: “There is currently no infrastructure in place for students to find opportunities at these smaller firms.
“The graduate employment market is still dominated by the 'bulge bracket', the 'big four' and the 'magic circle'. It is extremely difficult for SMEs to compete in such a noisy market place – they need to develop a brand identity.”
12th December 2011
www.recruiter.co.uk
Saturday 14 January 2012
'I’m a graduate, get me out of here!’
Jobless Cait Reilly is taking legal action against being forced to work for nothing in Poundland or lose her jobseeker's allowance. But how typical is her situation?
It’s been quite a week for 22-year-old Cait Reilly. After spending 18 months waiting in vain for her phone to ring with the offer of any one of the hundreds of jobs she has applied for since graduating in the summer of 2010 from Birmingham University, these past few days it hasn’t stopped. And all because of two weeks on a government unemployment programme in her local Poundland in King’s Heath, West Midlands.
A triumph for the scheme presented by ministers as giving 250,000 claimants on jobseekers’ allowance a helping hand back into the workforce? Not quite. For Reilly has made headlines because she is mounting a legal challenge to what she says was the “forced labour” of being made to stack shelves for free in the discount retailer, or lose her £53-a-week in dole. “I was told it was mandatory. There were five of us sent there. I was the only graduate. We were doing exactly the same work as the paid staff. It makes no sense. If the Government subsidises high street chains with free labour, they don’t have to recruit. It causes unemployment rather than solves it.”
What makes the mandatory placement more puzzling, adds Reilly, whose degree was geology, was that going to Poundland meant she had to give up a volunteer post she had at the local Pen Room Museum, part of her plan to gain the experience that would help her along her chosen career path as a curator.
“Right now, I would take any job. I have £18,000 in student debts to pay off and the interest is building all the time. That really worries me. But I have plenty of retail experience already on my CV. I didn’t need to go to Poundland. And I was never told I had a choice.”
Her adviser at the Job Centre has, she reports, been replaced. The Department of Work and Pensions, which oversees the scheme, has responded to her allegations by insisting that, within reason, such “sector-based work academy” schemes are optional. And Chris Grayling, the employment minister, has in the past robustly defended the programme, pointing out that “half of young people leave benefits after they have completed their placement”.
The problem in Reilly’s case seems to be that, as a graduate, her career expectations were different from many other claimants. But she is not, in reality, so unusual. Of those who graduated at the same time as her, in 2010, half were either jobless six months later, or in menial roles. Another survey reports that 38 per cent of graduates have been on the dole after leaving university. And longer-term data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency reveals that 28 per cent of 2006 graduates were not in full-time employment three years later, while, among those who were, only 16 per cent of the men were earning over £20,000, and 29 per cent of the women.
This last figure is particularly significant since, under new tuition fee arrangements, those embarking from this September on degree courses that will cost up to £9,000 a year will only have to start repaying their tuition fees once their income rises above £21,000. The Treasury, it seems, may be about to take a substantial hit.
Reilly remains phlegmatic about her joblessness. “Someone is getting the posts I am applying for, so I have to believe that one day that person will be me. That’s the logic.”
Does she regret not tackling something more vocational – law, medicine, engineering – rather than geology?
“I did think about that before I started, but I loved the subject and geology can provide a whole range of careers in civil engineering, mining, oil exploration and property. So it was a practical choice.” But of her cohort, she says, only one – “and he got a first” – has got a job that uses his degree.
Defending the hike in tuition fees, the Government argues that undergraduates are speculating to accumulate. By taking out loans to pay for a higher education, they are giving themselves the prospect of better-paid careers than school-leavers that will more than justify that investment. However, the Office of National Statistics reported last August that a quarter of graduates are earning less than contemporaries who joined the workforce after A-levels. And even with the other three quarters, the graduate pay premium is shrinking. One factor, it seems, is that the rapid expansion in higher education under Labour has seen the percentage of university-educated workers grow since 1993 from 12 to 25 per cent. And it continues to rise.
“I don’t regret going to university,” says Holly Jerreat, 22, who graduated last summer with a 2:1 in languages from Bath, “but with hindsight I might have done a more vocational course. I chose languages because it was a subject I loved and found intellectually challenging. But here I am, still looking for work.”
Jerreat, who has returned home to live with her parents in Kent, has filled in “endless application forms” for graduate posts in marketing, advertising and media, and has come very close several times to landing the job of her dreams, but the competition is stiff and openings few and far between. To pay her way in the interim, she has applied “for every job going in our local Bluewater shopping centre. I write off, send in CVs, go in and ask face-to-face, and then get told I am over-qualified.” Currently she is doing a part-time administrative post she got through a family connection. “Basically I do the shredding.”
In these hard times for recent graduates, such family connections – much decried by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, as “the exclusive preserve of the sharp-elbowed and the well-connected” – are one way to gain an advantage.
“I spent a year and a half doing various temping jobs,” says 25-year-old Howard de Podesta, who graduated in aerospace engineering from Bath, “before getting a job in product design in financial IT off the back of an internship. That is the route many graduates go down now.”
People like 24-year-old Kate Ross, who graduated in combined social sciences from Durham in 2009, and then landed a three-month paid internship with a hotel management company with the help of her sister who worked in recruitment. “Having that experience helped me impress my current employer, a property company. Without experience, no one will touch you, however good your degree or your university. You have somehow to find a way to get that experience.”
Unpaid internships, though, especially in London and big cities, depend on being able to rely on family for free accommodation and pocket money. Ross squared the circle by taking a part-time post as a live-in au pair, even though she had no formal training in caring for children. “I was actually better off when I was living for nothing there than when I started work properly and had to pay rent on a flat.”
And therein is another problem. Even when graduates find jobs, starting salaries are so low that it makes it very hard to stand on your own.
“It seems to take friends from university around a year to find a 'proper’ job,” recounts Jerreat, “but they rarely pay more than £18,000. Once you have stated paying back your student loans, which kicks in at £15,000 for my age group, and then pay rent, it really doesn’t leave anything to live on.”
The unpaid internship industry is, says Cait Reilly, pretty much a closed book for her. “I think it probably does skew the market against people like me. I live at home, but my parents can’t afford to support me. I have to make a contribution to my living costs. If I had the option of not signing on, I’d take it like a shot. It tars me with the same brush in the eyes of those who see anyone claiming benefits as lazy or scroungers. And yes, I would be prepared to travel and live somewhere else for work, but it would have to be paid for me to afford to be able to do it.”
So has her week of making headlines and taking calls helped her job search? “No,” she reports flatly. “Or not yet. Some of my friends think I am mad to go to court, that the legal action will mean that no employer will want anything to do with me, but for me it is an abuse that needs highlighting. The idea that any work experience, however irrelevant and menial, will be beneficial just doesn’t add up.”
Source: Peter Stanford, Telegraph.co.uk, Friday 13th January 2012
It’s been quite a week for 22-year-old Cait Reilly. After spending 18 months waiting in vain for her phone to ring with the offer of any one of the hundreds of jobs she has applied for since graduating in the summer of 2010 from Birmingham University, these past few days it hasn’t stopped. And all because of two weeks on a government unemployment programme in her local Poundland in King’s Heath, West Midlands.
A triumph for the scheme presented by ministers as giving 250,000 claimants on jobseekers’ allowance a helping hand back into the workforce? Not quite. For Reilly has made headlines because she is mounting a legal challenge to what she says was the “forced labour” of being made to stack shelves for free in the discount retailer, or lose her £53-a-week in dole. “I was told it was mandatory. There were five of us sent there. I was the only graduate. We were doing exactly the same work as the paid staff. It makes no sense. If the Government subsidises high street chains with free labour, they don’t have to recruit. It causes unemployment rather than solves it.”
What makes the mandatory placement more puzzling, adds Reilly, whose degree was geology, was that going to Poundland meant she had to give up a volunteer post she had at the local Pen Room Museum, part of her plan to gain the experience that would help her along her chosen career path as a curator.
“Right now, I would take any job. I have £18,000 in student debts to pay off and the interest is building all the time. That really worries me. But I have plenty of retail experience already on my CV. I didn’t need to go to Poundland. And I was never told I had a choice.”
Her adviser at the Job Centre has, she reports, been replaced. The Department of Work and Pensions, which oversees the scheme, has responded to her allegations by insisting that, within reason, such “sector-based work academy” schemes are optional. And Chris Grayling, the employment minister, has in the past robustly defended the programme, pointing out that “half of young people leave benefits after they have completed their placement”.
The problem in Reilly’s case seems to be that, as a graduate, her career expectations were different from many other claimants. But she is not, in reality, so unusual. Of those who graduated at the same time as her, in 2010, half were either jobless six months later, or in menial roles. Another survey reports that 38 per cent of graduates have been on the dole after leaving university. And longer-term data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency reveals that 28 per cent of 2006 graduates were not in full-time employment three years later, while, among those who were, only 16 per cent of the men were earning over £20,000, and 29 per cent of the women.
This last figure is particularly significant since, under new tuition fee arrangements, those embarking from this September on degree courses that will cost up to £9,000 a year will only have to start repaying their tuition fees once their income rises above £21,000. The Treasury, it seems, may be about to take a substantial hit.
Reilly remains phlegmatic about her joblessness. “Someone is getting the posts I am applying for, so I have to believe that one day that person will be me. That’s the logic.”
Does she regret not tackling something more vocational – law, medicine, engineering – rather than geology?
“I did think about that before I started, but I loved the subject and geology can provide a whole range of careers in civil engineering, mining, oil exploration and property. So it was a practical choice.” But of her cohort, she says, only one – “and he got a first” – has got a job that uses his degree.
Defending the hike in tuition fees, the Government argues that undergraduates are speculating to accumulate. By taking out loans to pay for a higher education, they are giving themselves the prospect of better-paid careers than school-leavers that will more than justify that investment. However, the Office of National Statistics reported last August that a quarter of graduates are earning less than contemporaries who joined the workforce after A-levels. And even with the other three quarters, the graduate pay premium is shrinking. One factor, it seems, is that the rapid expansion in higher education under Labour has seen the percentage of university-educated workers grow since 1993 from 12 to 25 per cent. And it continues to rise.
“I don’t regret going to university,” says Holly Jerreat, 22, who graduated last summer with a 2:1 in languages from Bath, “but with hindsight I might have done a more vocational course. I chose languages because it was a subject I loved and found intellectually challenging. But here I am, still looking for work.”
Jerreat, who has returned home to live with her parents in Kent, has filled in “endless application forms” for graduate posts in marketing, advertising and media, and has come very close several times to landing the job of her dreams, but the competition is stiff and openings few and far between. To pay her way in the interim, she has applied “for every job going in our local Bluewater shopping centre. I write off, send in CVs, go in and ask face-to-face, and then get told I am over-qualified.” Currently she is doing a part-time administrative post she got through a family connection. “Basically I do the shredding.”
In these hard times for recent graduates, such family connections – much decried by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, as “the exclusive preserve of the sharp-elbowed and the well-connected” – are one way to gain an advantage.
“I spent a year and a half doing various temping jobs,” says 25-year-old Howard de Podesta, who graduated in aerospace engineering from Bath, “before getting a job in product design in financial IT off the back of an internship. That is the route many graduates go down now.”
People like 24-year-old Kate Ross, who graduated in combined social sciences from Durham in 2009, and then landed a three-month paid internship with a hotel management company with the help of her sister who worked in recruitment. “Having that experience helped me impress my current employer, a property company. Without experience, no one will touch you, however good your degree or your university. You have somehow to find a way to get that experience.”
Unpaid internships, though, especially in London and big cities, depend on being able to rely on family for free accommodation and pocket money. Ross squared the circle by taking a part-time post as a live-in au pair, even though she had no formal training in caring for children. “I was actually better off when I was living for nothing there than when I started work properly and had to pay rent on a flat.”
And therein is another problem. Even when graduates find jobs, starting salaries are so low that it makes it very hard to stand on your own.
“It seems to take friends from university around a year to find a 'proper’ job,” recounts Jerreat, “but they rarely pay more than £18,000. Once you have stated paying back your student loans, which kicks in at £15,000 for my age group, and then pay rent, it really doesn’t leave anything to live on.”
The unpaid internship industry is, says Cait Reilly, pretty much a closed book for her. “I think it probably does skew the market against people like me. I live at home, but my parents can’t afford to support me. I have to make a contribution to my living costs. If I had the option of not signing on, I’d take it like a shot. It tars me with the same brush in the eyes of those who see anyone claiming benefits as lazy or scroungers. And yes, I would be prepared to travel and live somewhere else for work, but it would have to be paid for me to afford to be able to do it.”
So has her week of making headlines and taking calls helped her job search? “No,” she reports flatly. “Or not yet. Some of my friends think I am mad to go to court, that the legal action will mean that no employer will want anything to do with me, but for me it is an abuse that needs highlighting. The idea that any work experience, however irrelevant and menial, will be beneficial just doesn’t add up.”
Source: Peter Stanford, Telegraph.co.uk, Friday 13th January 2012
Friday 13 January 2012
Graduate recruitment set to increase but only for those with work experience
Employers expect to hire 6.4% more graduates in 2012 than they did in 2011 but graduates who have no work experience at all whilst at university stand little or no chance of getting a job offer from the country’s most prestigious graduate employers.
The Graduate Market in 2012 - a study of graduate vacancies and starting salaries at Britain's one hundred leading employers conducted by High Fliers Research in December 2011, found a record 36% of this year's graduate vacancies are expected to be filled by applicants who have already worked for the organisation during their studies.
Half the employers included in the research have increased their graduate recruitment targets for 2012 and there are additional roles on offer in nine of the 14 industries and employment areas featured in the report. Despite the recruitment freeze at many Government departments and agencies, graduate vacancies in the public sector are expected to increase by a fifth this year - in part because of the expansion of the Teach First scheme which is set to hire 1,000 graduates for the first time in 2012. There are also more opportunities at engineering & industrial companies, IT & telecommunication firms, high street banks, investment banks and retailers.
On average, employers have received 19% more applications for their graduate programmes this year, with some recruiters reporting double the usual volume of applicants in the early part of their 2011-2012 recruitment campaign. A number of well-known organisations have already closed off the application process for their 2012 positions. In 2011, recruiters received an average of 48 applications per graduate vacancy.
The majority of employers are not planning to increase their graduate remuneration in 2012 - the average graduate starting salary remains at £29,000 for the third year running.
Despite the widespread recruitment freeze at Government departments & agencies, public sector employers are planning to expand their graduate intake by 21.9% in 2012, an increase of almost 500 additional roles year-on-year.
There will also be a substantial rise in the number of graduate jobs available at engineering & industrial companies (up 22.4% compared to 2011), IT & telecommunications firms (up 31.6%), high street banks (up 16.0%) & retailers (up 11.5%).
Although these recruitment targets for 2012 are encouraging and build on the increases in vacancies seen in 2011 and 2010, graduate recruitment at the UK's leading employers remains below pre-recession levels. Across all the organisations featured within the research, graduate recruitment in 2012 is still 6% below that recorded in 2007. By contrast, an extra 50,000 new graduates are expected to leave university in the summer of 2012, compared
The five universities most-often targeted by Britain's top graduate employers in 2011-2012 are Manchester, London (including Imperial College, University College and the London School of Economics) Cambridge, Nottingham and Oxford.
Virtually all of the UK's leading graduate employers are offering paid work experience programmes for students and recent graduates during the 2011-2012 academic year - a total of 11,296 places are available.
Managing director of High Fliers Research, Martin Birchall said: "With a record number of students due to finish university in 2012, it's very welcome news that Britain's best-known and most sought-after employers are offering more graduate vacancies this year, especially considering the continuing uncertainty about the wider economic outlook. But today's report includes the stark warning to the 'Class of 2012' that in a highly competitive graduate job market, new graduates who've not had any work experience at all during their time at university have little hope of landing a well-paid job with a leading employer, irrespective of the academic results they achieve or the university they've attended."
Source: David Woods, HRmagazine, Friday 13th January 2012
The Graduate Market in 2012 - a study of graduate vacancies and starting salaries at Britain's one hundred leading employers conducted by High Fliers Research in December 2011, found a record 36% of this year's graduate vacancies are expected to be filled by applicants who have already worked for the organisation during their studies.
Half the employers included in the research have increased their graduate recruitment targets for 2012 and there are additional roles on offer in nine of the 14 industries and employment areas featured in the report. Despite the recruitment freeze at many Government departments and agencies, graduate vacancies in the public sector are expected to increase by a fifth this year - in part because of the expansion of the Teach First scheme which is set to hire 1,000 graduates for the first time in 2012. There are also more opportunities at engineering & industrial companies, IT & telecommunication firms, high street banks, investment banks and retailers.
On average, employers have received 19% more applications for their graduate programmes this year, with some recruiters reporting double the usual volume of applicants in the early part of their 2011-2012 recruitment campaign. A number of well-known organisations have already closed off the application process for their 2012 positions. In 2011, recruiters received an average of 48 applications per graduate vacancy.
The majority of employers are not planning to increase their graduate remuneration in 2012 - the average graduate starting salary remains at £29,000 for the third year running.
Despite the widespread recruitment freeze at Government departments & agencies, public sector employers are planning to expand their graduate intake by 21.9% in 2012, an increase of almost 500 additional roles year-on-year.
There will also be a substantial rise in the number of graduate jobs available at engineering & industrial companies (up 22.4% compared to 2011), IT & telecommunications firms (up 31.6%), high street banks (up 16.0%) & retailers (up 11.5%).
Although these recruitment targets for 2012 are encouraging and build on the increases in vacancies seen in 2011 and 2010, graduate recruitment at the UK's leading employers remains below pre-recession levels. Across all the organisations featured within the research, graduate recruitment in 2012 is still 6% below that recorded in 2007. By contrast, an extra 50,000 new graduates are expected to leave university in the summer of 2012, compared
The five universities most-often targeted by Britain's top graduate employers in 2011-2012 are Manchester, London (including Imperial College, University College and the London School of Economics) Cambridge, Nottingham and Oxford.
Virtually all of the UK's leading graduate employers are offering paid work experience programmes for students and recent graduates during the 2011-2012 academic year - a total of 11,296 places are available.
Managing director of High Fliers Research, Martin Birchall said: "With a record number of students due to finish university in 2012, it's very welcome news that Britain's best-known and most sought-after employers are offering more graduate vacancies this year, especially considering the continuing uncertainty about the wider economic outlook. But today's report includes the stark warning to the 'Class of 2012' that in a highly competitive graduate job market, new graduates who've not had any work experience at all during their time at university have little hope of landing a well-paid job with a leading employer, irrespective of the academic results they achieve or the university they've attended."
Source: David Woods, HRmagazine, Friday 13th January 2012
Thursday 12 January 2012
Graduate recruitment returns to “pre-2007 levels"
Graduate recruitment in 2012 is set to be up by 6.4% on last year, indicating a return to pre-recession levels.
The Graduate Market in 2012 survey showed that 10 out of the 15 industries represented in The Times top 100 employers are planning to hire, while the median starting salary remained at £29,000 across all sectors.
This news has been welcomed by PwC, who are already heavily committed to graduate recruitment. Out of 1,200 PwC trainee vacancies, 25% go to former interns, a figure which Mark Menton, director at PwC North East, believes is indicative of the firms’ commitment to nurturing young talent.
He commented: “Graduate recruitment is the lifeblood of our business. That’s why we continue to invest heavily in offering outstanding opportunities to students.
“The biggest shift over the past few years is that competition for talented students no longer starts in the run up to graduation, employers start competing for the attention of talented students from their first day on campus, or before they even leave schools and colleges.”
Early paid work experience can be key for both employers and students as it gives both parties the opportunity to asses first hand potential career opportunities. Likewise the return investment which both receive from the arrangement is becoming increasingly attractive.
Lat year PwC expanded its intern programme by 50% after attracting record numbers of applications
Mr Menton continued: “We think early identification of talent, whether in schools, colleges or on campus will only become more important as the fight for the best jobs becomes more pronounced. The survey results reinforce this trend.
Source: Bdaily.co.uk, Wednesday 11th January 2012
The Graduate Market in 2012 survey showed that 10 out of the 15 industries represented in The Times top 100 employers are planning to hire, while the median starting salary remained at £29,000 across all sectors.
This news has been welcomed by PwC, who are already heavily committed to graduate recruitment. Out of 1,200 PwC trainee vacancies, 25% go to former interns, a figure which Mark Menton, director at PwC North East, believes is indicative of the firms’ commitment to nurturing young talent.
He commented: “Graduate recruitment is the lifeblood of our business. That’s why we continue to invest heavily in offering outstanding opportunities to students.
“The biggest shift over the past few years is that competition for talented students no longer starts in the run up to graduation, employers start competing for the attention of talented students from their first day on campus, or before they even leave schools and colleges.”
Early paid work experience can be key for both employers and students as it gives both parties the opportunity to asses first hand potential career opportunities. Likewise the return investment which both receive from the arrangement is becoming increasingly attractive.
Lat year PwC expanded its intern programme by 50% after attracting record numbers of applications
Mr Menton continued: “We think early identification of talent, whether in schools, colleges or on campus will only become more important as the fight for the best jobs becomes more pronounced. The survey results reinforce this trend.
Source: Bdaily.co.uk, Wednesday 11th January 2012
Wednesday 11 January 2012
Graduate job competition hots up
More than a third of new graduate jobs this year will go to students who have already worked for the employer – a record high – as competition for positions ratchets up, an analysis has shown.
The class of 2012 is set for further misery as a third of applications for graduate posts have come already from those who left university last summer or earlier, the study from High Fliers Research showed.
A fifth of employers said application levels had soared by at least 25pc, the research revealed.
However, the number of graduate vacancies is expected to rise by 6.4pc this year, up from the 16,408 university leavers recruited in 2011, the analysis of 100 graduate employers showed.
The forecast is much higher than last year's 2.8pc increase, although it is subject to change as companies revise recruitment targets throughout the year, and still remains 6pc below pre-recession levels.
An extra 50,000 graduates are set to leave university this summer compared with five years ago, suggesting the scramble for placements will intensify.
Employers have already received 19pc more graduate applications for roles compared with last year, meaning opportunities are dwindling for those who have not yet applied.
More than half of the recruiters warned graduates with no previous work experience had "little or no chance" of landing a job this year.
Worryingly, separate research today shows one in four recent graduates has turned down a job offer because they felt they were over-qualified or the role wasn't suitable. The poll of 450 graduates, carried out by Network Rail, comes as the rail operator launches an 18-month placement scheme.
Investment banking applications have grown by 9pc year-on-year, High Fliers said, suggesting the sector is shaking off the impact of "banker bashing" in the UK. But the report showed three quarters of investment bank graduate jobs will be taken by candidates who have completed industry placements.
In a move which appears to contradict the Government's recruitment freeze, the public sector is planning to expand its graduate intake by 21.9pc this year, an increase of 500 roles year-on-year.
The engineering, IT, high street banking and retail sectors are also expecting substantial rises in graduate jobs compared to last year, with the "Big Four" accounting firms among the largest graduate employers, taking on almost 4,000 roles between them.
But in a further sign the labour market remains flat, graduate starting salaries will stay at about £29,000 for the third consecutive year.
Elsewhere, a report showed the labour market has been "contracting". The number of permanent vacancies declined for the third consecutive month in December, a survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG showed.
In brighter news, a report from Monster, the jobs website, showed a 6pc rise in roles advertised online over the past year, with skilled workers in more demand.
Source: Louisa Peacock, Telegraph.co.uk, Wednesday 11th January 2012
The class of 2012 is set for further misery as a third of applications for graduate posts have come already from those who left university last summer or earlier, the study from High Fliers Research showed.
A fifth of employers said application levels had soared by at least 25pc, the research revealed.
However, the number of graduate vacancies is expected to rise by 6.4pc this year, up from the 16,408 university leavers recruited in 2011, the analysis of 100 graduate employers showed.
The forecast is much higher than last year's 2.8pc increase, although it is subject to change as companies revise recruitment targets throughout the year, and still remains 6pc below pre-recession levels.
An extra 50,000 graduates are set to leave university this summer compared with five years ago, suggesting the scramble for placements will intensify.
Employers have already received 19pc more graduate applications for roles compared with last year, meaning opportunities are dwindling for those who have not yet applied.
More than half of the recruiters warned graduates with no previous work experience had "little or no chance" of landing a job this year.
Worryingly, separate research today shows one in four recent graduates has turned down a job offer because they felt they were over-qualified or the role wasn't suitable. The poll of 450 graduates, carried out by Network Rail, comes as the rail operator launches an 18-month placement scheme.
Investment banking applications have grown by 9pc year-on-year, High Fliers said, suggesting the sector is shaking off the impact of "banker bashing" in the UK. But the report showed three quarters of investment bank graduate jobs will be taken by candidates who have completed industry placements.
In a move which appears to contradict the Government's recruitment freeze, the public sector is planning to expand its graduate intake by 21.9pc this year, an increase of 500 roles year-on-year.
The engineering, IT, high street banking and retail sectors are also expecting substantial rises in graduate jobs compared to last year, with the "Big Four" accounting firms among the largest graduate employers, taking on almost 4,000 roles between them.
But in a further sign the labour market remains flat, graduate starting salaries will stay at about £29,000 for the third consecutive year.
Elsewhere, a report showed the labour market has been "contracting". The number of permanent vacancies declined for the third consecutive month in December, a survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG showed.
In brighter news, a report from Monster, the jobs website, showed a 6pc rise in roles advertised online over the past year, with skilled workers in more demand.
Source: Louisa Peacock, Telegraph.co.uk, Wednesday 11th January 2012
Tuesday 10 January 2012
The UK is under threat of a brain drain as students look abroad for jobs
High achieving graduates are looking abroad for their first graduate job.
Half of UK students are considering leaving the country as the job outlook is set to worsen. Figures taken from the Trendence Graduate Barometer UK edition have found that of the 15,000 students surveyed, the top five countries that they would relocate to are the US (63%), Australia (47%), Canada (38%), France (35%), and New Zealand (33%).
Among the students surveyed was a category of high achieving students which 32% of this group said they would leave the country to find a graduate position abroad. Only 9% of the respondents said they would not relocate to anywhere.
Trendence UK accounts director Kathryn Callow said: "We're at high risk of losing some of our most talented and hard working students to other countries. Our data shows many of these students are willing to work more than 55 hours per week and want to perform highly in their jobs, yet they feel they want to go abroad because they can't find opportunities to further their ability in the UK.
"We're at risk of a 'talent drain' because of the current job market and the impact of constant bad news which tells students and graduates there are no jobs available and that future prospects are bleak."
A survey by SHL has found that many graduates would be prepared to work unpaid to be able to gain experience in their chosen field in order to get their preferred graduate job.
Sean Howard VP Business Solutions, SHL, comments, “The UK is failing its graduates. School leavers are faced with difficult decisions, not only has the cost of going to university risen, but UK employment options are bleak. Graduates are also under pressure to undertake unpaid internships in order to gain a foothold on the career ladder. It’s not just university that carries a high price, but gaining work experience too. This could mean a future where the best jobs are reserved for those that can afford to attend university and clock up the most unpaid experience. Understandably our graduates are open to the idea of seeking their career abroad, and the UK industry is faced with a potential brain drain.”
He continues, “What also really strikes me about these results is that graduates are missing a trick when it comes to social media, yet they are the generation that uses this communication channel so much in their personal lives. It appears the potential for social media to aid job hunting has not yet been realised by graduates.”
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Monday 9th January 2012
Half of UK students are considering leaving the country as the job outlook is set to worsen. Figures taken from the Trendence Graduate Barometer UK edition have found that of the 15,000 students surveyed, the top five countries that they would relocate to are the US (63%), Australia (47%), Canada (38%), France (35%), and New Zealand (33%).
Among the students surveyed was a category of high achieving students which 32% of this group said they would leave the country to find a graduate position abroad. Only 9% of the respondents said they would not relocate to anywhere.
Trendence UK accounts director Kathryn Callow said: "We're at high risk of losing some of our most talented and hard working students to other countries. Our data shows many of these students are willing to work more than 55 hours per week and want to perform highly in their jobs, yet they feel they want to go abroad because they can't find opportunities to further their ability in the UK.
"We're at risk of a 'talent drain' because of the current job market and the impact of constant bad news which tells students and graduates there are no jobs available and that future prospects are bleak."
A survey by SHL has found that many graduates would be prepared to work unpaid to be able to gain experience in their chosen field in order to get their preferred graduate job.
Sean Howard VP Business Solutions, SHL, comments, “The UK is failing its graduates. School leavers are faced with difficult decisions, not only has the cost of going to university risen, but UK employment options are bleak. Graduates are also under pressure to undertake unpaid internships in order to gain a foothold on the career ladder. It’s not just university that carries a high price, but gaining work experience too. This could mean a future where the best jobs are reserved for those that can afford to attend university and clock up the most unpaid experience. Understandably our graduates are open to the idea of seeking their career abroad, and the UK industry is faced with a potential brain drain.”
He continues, “What also really strikes me about these results is that graduates are missing a trick when it comes to social media, yet they are the generation that uses this communication channel so much in their personal lives. It appears the potential for social media to aid job hunting has not yet been realised by graduates.”
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Monday 9th January 2012
Monday 9 January 2012
Graduates value training and development over pay and benefits
Ernst and Young has found that graduates value training and development over pay.
Graduates are more focused on developing their skills thought training rather than a high pay package. Graduates name training and development as their most important consideration when applying for their first graduate job.
Salary benefits were the second most important factor which was followed by business reputation. People and culture and work/life balance came in third and fourth respectively. These findings are almost identical in comparison to the survey conducted in 2007.
Stephen Isherwood, Head of Graduate Recruitment, Ernst & Young, says: “The poll raises interesting questions around the expectations of the post-recession class of 2011 versus those of 2007, who were graduating into an uncertain future.
“Despite the burden of university debts, today’s graduates still see their first job as a prime opportunity to gain qualifications and skills which can benefit them long into the future.”
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Friday 6th January 2012
Graduates are more focused on developing their skills thought training rather than a high pay package. Graduates name training and development as their most important consideration when applying for their first graduate job.
Salary benefits were the second most important factor which was followed by business reputation. People and culture and work/life balance came in third and fourth respectively. These findings are almost identical in comparison to the survey conducted in 2007.
Stephen Isherwood, Head of Graduate Recruitment, Ernst & Young, says: “The poll raises interesting questions around the expectations of the post-recession class of 2011 versus those of 2007, who were graduating into an uncertain future.
“Despite the burden of university debts, today’s graduates still see their first job as a prime opportunity to gain qualifications and skills which can benefit them long into the future.”
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Friday 6th January 2012
Sunday 8 January 2012
12 tips that’ll get you a graduate job in 2012
Whether you’re a first year or a finalist, there’s no time like the New Year to power up your graduate career planning. January has long been a favourite month for jobhunters, and there’s no time like the present to get started on changing your life. So if you’ve been suffering from a spot of post-Christmas lethargy, or need some inspiration for your New Year career resolutions, our 12 tips for 2012 should help to spur you into action.
- Don’t expect too much of yourself. Set yourself realistic, regular goals for jobhunting success.
- Do you know what your strengths are? Are you aware of the full range of different careers that match your unique skills and interests? If you haven’t already, make use of our targetjobs.co.uk career planner.
- Still short on ideas? Find out the key skills you gain from different degrees and check career options for graduates who have studied subjects ranging from modern languages to psychology.
- Audit and manage your online profile. Check out what employers can find out about you, then make sure it’s what you want them to see.
- Create a LinkedIn profile – but read our quick guide first to make sure you make the most of it.
- Check your deadlines. This is a very busy time for graduate scheme and internship deadlines, with dozens of opportunities closing this week alone on targetjobs.co.uk, and many more to come before the end of January. Search all our graduate job vacancies, or browse a selection ofgraduate schemes in different key career areas. Even if you’re not applying for jobs yet, take a look at what’s out there.
- Check out our model CVs to help you on your way with putting yours together (remember, adapt it for each graduate job application).
- Here’s why you don’t need to worry about including a personal statement in your CV.
- When you submit online application forms for graduate jobs, make sure you tailor each one for the employer, and, if possible, print it off and proofread it carefully. That way you’ll avoid employers’ top two turn-offs: blanket applications and sloppy text that is full of grammar and spelling mistakes. Do keep copies for future reference. Check out our online applications advice for more useful tips.
- Wouldn’t it be great if you could find out what individual employers look for in job applications? Well, you can! Find out whether the employers you are interested in are covered in our in-depth Employer Insights, and if they are, make sure you follow them for updates.
- Take the fear out of graduate job interviews by familiarising yourself with the tricky interview questions that are likely to come up, such as ‘What is your biggest weakness?’ The key is to frame your answer so as to give it a positive spin.
- Remember… you are not alone. Stay in touch! There are lots of ways you can use targetjobs.co.uk to access advice and network.
Source: Targetjobs.co.uk, Wednesday 4th January 2012
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