Sixty new recruits will start their two-year apprenticeships in PwC’s tax division next month, making the firm the first to offer places under the new government-sponsored professional services Higher Apprenticeship framework. The aim of the framework is to provide 1,500 higher apprenticeships in tax, audit and management consulting by March 2015.
On-the-job training, coaching and assessment will give new recruits a work-based route into the professional services sector. While working, they will undertake a qualification with the Association of Tax Technicians.
Gaenor Bagley, head of people and a partner at PwC, enthused, ‘The programme reflects our commitment to widening access to the profession, encouraging social mobility and offering top quality school leaver career opportunities. Last year we signed up to the government’s Business Compact on Social Mobility because we think it is vital to encourage diversity, to reflect the communities we work in and the clients we have.’
As we commented when we first broke the news about this alternative route into professional services, since the Big 4 continue to increase their graduate intake year on year, current students should see these programmes less as competition and more as an opportunity for greater diversity in the firms they choose to join.
Source: Targetjobs.co.uk, Tuesday 12th June 2012
Jobsbody provides a dynamic forum in which businesses can view and connect with graduates.
Showing posts with label PwC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PwC. Show all posts
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Financial firms must change approach to graduate recruitment
Financial firms need to shake up their strategy for attracting and retaining the best graduates says new PwC report.
A new study from PwC indicates that financial services firms need to adapt their recruitment strategies to retain the best talent in their business with a ‘significant gap’ between what graduates expect from their graduate job and the job itself.
The study found that 55% of graduates had compromised on their job choices due to the economic downturn in the UK and globally indicating that as the job market improves many financial service firms may find it difficult to retain talent with graduates open to new opportunities with only 10% indicating that they were satisfied with their current role in the long term.
Jon Terry, a partner at PwC said; ‘Financial services companies are already finding it hard to keep younger workers and this is likely to become even tougher as the job market starts to improve. This generation of graduates demand a different approach to recruitment, retention, management and development, which organisations simply can’t afford to ignore. If companies fail to invest in trying to understand what drives this group, they face the real risk of losing large numbers of them to other companies when the job market picks up.
“Carrying on with the same approach to recruitment and retention is no longer an option. Millennials want more than ‘just a job’. They expect a varied and interesting career, constant feedback and the opportunity to progress quickly. Their high expectations mean that companies might find it harder than ever to keep their best talent if they don’t adapt their approaches to their development appropriately.'
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Wednesday 9th May 2012
A new study from PwC indicates that financial services firms need to adapt their recruitment strategies to retain the best talent in their business with a ‘significant gap’ between what graduates expect from their graduate job and the job itself.
The study found that 55% of graduates had compromised on their job choices due to the economic downturn in the UK and globally indicating that as the job market improves many financial service firms may find it difficult to retain talent with graduates open to new opportunities with only 10% indicating that they were satisfied with their current role in the long term.
Jon Terry, a partner at PwC said; ‘Financial services companies are already finding it hard to keep younger workers and this is likely to become even tougher as the job market starts to improve. This generation of graduates demand a different approach to recruitment, retention, management and development, which organisations simply can’t afford to ignore. If companies fail to invest in trying to understand what drives this group, they face the real risk of losing large numbers of them to other companies when the job market picks up.
“Carrying on with the same approach to recruitment and retention is no longer an option. Millennials want more than ‘just a job’. They expect a varied and interesting career, constant feedback and the opportunity to progress quickly. Their high expectations mean that companies might find it harder than ever to keep their best talent if they don’t adapt their approaches to their development appropriately.'
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Wednesday 9th May 2012
Thursday, 2 February 2012
PwC recruitment update reflects intense competition for graduate jobs
Applications up by 33%; 85% of interns going on to the graduate scheme; increased interest in regional roles and a drive to recruit more women: this is the snapshot of graduate recruitment that emerged from PwC this week.
The firm, the largest private sector graduate recruiter, reports record levels of recruitment since August – applications are 33% ahead of this time last year, with half of graduate roles secured before Christmas. Gaenor Bagley, PwC head of people, believes students are ‘starting their carer decision process earlier and with more focus’.
Internships
Once again, internships – and the importance of securing one while at university as a route to a graduate job – are big news. PwC reports that 85% of its internships are converted into full-time jobs. Ms Bagley commented, ‘We think this is something that will only grow and shows the growing 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.’
Regional offices
Ms Bagley stated that applications to PwC’s regional offices have increased considerably, which the firm is pleased about: ‘We have been stressing for years that the regions present the same opportunities and big name clients and this message is finally sinking in.’
Recruitment of women
‘We’re keen to maintain the flow of successful female leaders in our business,’ says Ms Bagley. ‘Accountancy is a gateway to a business career, and we’re launching a new PwC leader shadowing scheme this summer targeting female university students.’
PwC chairman Ian Powell recently signed up for the 30% club, whose members are organisations that have voluntarily committed to meet a goal of 30% female representation on their UK boards.
Source: Targetjobs.co.uk, Wednesday 1st February 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
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
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Applications For PwC Graduate Finance Jobs Soar
Applications for graduate finance jobs at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have soared as more and more graduates are chasing fewer jobs at the big finance companies.
Last year, PwC received 20,000 applications for the places on their graduate scheme. This year, with over 200 applications falling through the letterbox each day, the finance company is on course to receive around one and a half times that number of applicants for the 2012 programme.
That would mean that there could be around 30,000 graduates chasing just 1,200 finance places on the PwC graduate scheme this year.
Chairman and senior partner at PwC, Ian Powell, told The Daily Telegraph that his company expected to interview fewer than a quarter of the graduates who had applied for the 2012 intake and said it was a shame to eliminate so many people at the first stage of application.
Mr Powell worried that such a low ratio of interviews to applications would mean that some graduate talent could inevitably slip through the net.
Speaking of the seemingly insatiable interest in graduate finance jobs compared to other sectors of UK business, Mr Powell said:
“There are not the same opportunities out there now. People are looking for the security of a professional qualification. But I think it's important that other parts of industry become just as attractive, like engineering, as there's a real need to have a balanced economy.”
Source: E4s.co.uk, Friday 6th January 2012
Last year, PwC received 20,000 applications for the places on their graduate scheme. This year, with over 200 applications falling through the letterbox each day, the finance company is on course to receive around one and a half times that number of applicants for the 2012 programme.
That would mean that there could be around 30,000 graduates chasing just 1,200 finance places on the PwC graduate scheme this year.
Chairman and senior partner at PwC, Ian Powell, told The Daily Telegraph that his company expected to interview fewer than a quarter of the graduates who had applied for the 2012 intake and said it was a shame to eliminate so many people at the first stage of application.
Mr Powell worried that such a low ratio of interviews to applications would mean that some graduate talent could inevitably slip through the net.
Speaking of the seemingly insatiable interest in graduate finance jobs compared to other sectors of UK business, Mr Powell said:
“There are not the same opportunities out there now. People are looking for the security of a professional qualification. But I think it's important that other parts of industry become just as attractive, like engineering, as there's a real need to have a balanced economy.”
Source: E4s.co.uk, Friday 6th January 2012
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
PwC gets record number of applicants for graduate scheme
Accountancy giant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is on track to receive a record 30,000 applications for its graduate entry scheme in the latest indicator of the strains in the British labour market.
The firm's graduate scheme - which has 1,200 places - has been inundated with expressions of interest, with more than 200 applications a day being received.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Ian Powell, chairman and senior partner of PwC UK, said: "It's incredible. One of the big issues we face is that we could end up with 30,000 applications for just 1,200 places."
The figure is 50pc higher than the 20,000 applications Mr Powell said the firm - which unlike other large financial services firm maintained its graduate intake throughout the recession - received for its 2011 intake.
"There are not the same opportunities out there now. People are looking for the security of a professional qualification," Mr Powell said. "But I think it's important that other parts of industry become just as attractive, like engineering, as there's a real need to have a balanced economy."
Mr Powell noted however that one of the "real challenges" of applications on this scale was the fear of quality candidates slipping through the cracks.
"We'll interview getting on for about 7,000 really which is a massive effort. That means you're eliminating a lot of people on paper.
"So what I'm fearful of is we lose some diversity. And what I mean by this is of background, of experience, coming into the firm," he continued. "I want to keep the diversity of admission; otherwise we'll be irrelevant in 15 years time because we'll have recruited from a stereotypical background."
Mr Powell also revealed that he intends to stand in the firm's upcoming chairman election, as his current four-year term comes to an end in March.
Source: James Quinn, Telegraph.co.uk, Monday 2nd January 2012
The firm's graduate scheme - which has 1,200 places - has been inundated with expressions of interest, with more than 200 applications a day being received.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Ian Powell, chairman and senior partner of PwC UK, said: "It's incredible. One of the big issues we face is that we could end up with 30,000 applications for just 1,200 places."
The figure is 50pc higher than the 20,000 applications Mr Powell said the firm - which unlike other large financial services firm maintained its graduate intake throughout the recession - received for its 2011 intake.
"There are not the same opportunities out there now. People are looking for the security of a professional qualification," Mr Powell said. "But I think it's important that other parts of industry become just as attractive, like engineering, as there's a real need to have a balanced economy."
Mr Powell noted however that one of the "real challenges" of applications on this scale was the fear of quality candidates slipping through the cracks.
"We'll interview getting on for about 7,000 really which is a massive effort. That means you're eliminating a lot of people on paper.
"So what I'm fearful of is we lose some diversity. And what I mean by this is of background, of experience, coming into the firm," he continued. "I want to keep the diversity of admission; otherwise we'll be irrelevant in 15 years time because we'll have recruited from a stereotypical background."
Mr Powell also revealed that he intends to stand in the firm's upcoming chairman election, as his current four-year term comes to an end in March.
Source: James Quinn, Telegraph.co.uk, Monday 2nd January 2012
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Deloitte and PwC take on record number of graduates
The road to a career in the professional services sector has opened for hundreds of graduates this month.
Accounting and consulting firms, Deloitte and PwC have taken on a record number of graduates.
Deloitte has invested in some of the country's top talent, recruiting 63 trainees at its north west offices, with 54 new starters in just the Manchester office alone.
They will be working across all service areas from audit to corporate tax.
This year's intake includes a number of University of Manchester and University of Liverpool alumni, a first class graduate in management and a first class mathematician.
Most of the graduates are from the north west region whilst the scheme also attracted individuals from China and Romania.
Jane Boardman, Deloitte's partner in charge of talent in the region, said: “The calibre of graduate applicants this year has been unprecedented, which reflects the strength of our business and of the region as a whole.
“I am confident that the people we have recruited will have a long and successful future at Deloitte, and I am very much looking forward to seeing their skills and careers develop and flourish.”
The Manchester office of PwC has welcomed 43 graduates from a group of 1200 new starters to join PwC offices all across the UK including 20 across the north.
Twelve school leavers have also joined through the firm's headstart programme.
The graduates faced stiff competition, with a 2870 applicants across the north – double the number who applied last year.
Nick Boden, senior partner on PwC's Manchester office, said: “The massive increase in applications we've received this year shows that students are back in the game.
“They are realising that despite many saying otherwise, there are jobs out there with top notch training schemes and excellent prospects.
“We are also seeing more applicants from school leavers who choose not to go to university.”
Martin Heath, head of the assurance practice in Manchester, said: “We held our nerve during the recession and continued to invest in graduate recruitment.
“That decision has paid off as we are seeing some exciting opportunities emerge despite the fragile state of the economic recovery.
“We've taken in graduate talent in assurance, tax and advisory to help us harness those opportunities.”
Source: Menmedia.co.uk, Thursday 29th September 2011
Accounting and consulting firms, Deloitte and PwC have taken on a record number of graduates.
Deloitte has invested in some of the country's top talent, recruiting 63 trainees at its north west offices, with 54 new starters in just the Manchester office alone.
They will be working across all service areas from audit to corporate tax.
This year's intake includes a number of University of Manchester and University of Liverpool alumni, a first class graduate in management and a first class mathematician.
Most of the graduates are from the north west region whilst the scheme also attracted individuals from China and Romania.
Jane Boardman, Deloitte's partner in charge of talent in the region, said: “The calibre of graduate applicants this year has been unprecedented, which reflects the strength of our business and of the region as a whole.
“I am confident that the people we have recruited will have a long and successful future at Deloitte, and I am very much looking forward to seeing their skills and careers develop and flourish.”
The Manchester office of PwC has welcomed 43 graduates from a group of 1200 new starters to join PwC offices all across the UK including 20 across the north.
Twelve school leavers have also joined through the firm's headstart programme.
The graduates faced stiff competition, with a 2870 applicants across the north – double the number who applied last year.
Nick Boden, senior partner on PwC's Manchester office, said: “The massive increase in applications we've received this year shows that students are back in the game.
“They are realising that despite many saying otherwise, there are jobs out there with top notch training schemes and excellent prospects.
“We are also seeing more applicants from school leavers who choose not to go to university.”
Martin Heath, head of the assurance practice in Manchester, said: “We held our nerve during the recession and continued to invest in graduate recruitment.
“That decision has paid off as we are seeing some exciting opportunities emerge despite the fragile state of the economic recovery.
“We've taken in graduate talent in assurance, tax and advisory to help us harness those opportunities.”
Source: Menmedia.co.uk, Thursday 29th September 2011
Friday, 16 September 2011
PwC sees a close to its graduate recruitment in 2011 as 1,200 graduates join the firm this week
Professional services firm PwC is taking on 1,200 graduates into its offices across the UK.
There were around 22,000 applications for all the graduate roles that start this September, which is double the number from last year, with a total of 33,000 applications for all internships and A-level programmes.
This years intake has seen the return of 223 interns which means that 18% of this autumns intake have completed an internship scheme with the firm, with 95% of interns offered full time training roles.
Richard Irwin of PwC and head of student recruitment said; "The high number conversions from internships into full time roles represents great return on investment for our firm, and supports our belief that as a business the earlier we work with students, the more successful our recruitment, and their experience will be."
"The recession and financial crisis marked a shift in attitudes towards understanding more about employability with students getting work experience earlier, rather than just relying on the degree on their CVs to get their foot in the door for a job.
"Those who start building their work experience portfolio early on have a much better chance of securing the role of their dreams, and not being left in the frustrating position of post-graduation unemployment. The massive increase in applications we've received this year shows that students are back in the game. They are realising that despite many saying otherwise, there are jobs out there with top notch training schemes and excellent prospects."
The graduate jobs will be across PwC’s tax, assurance, consulting, actuarial, legal, consulting and advisory practices. The graduate trainees will be provided with full training and involved in welcome activities which are designed to show the graduates the firms culture and provide them with an overview of it’s brand values. The graduates will also take part in volunteer projects across the UK to experience PwC’s community programme.
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Thursday 15th September 2011
There were around 22,000 applications for all the graduate roles that start this September, which is double the number from last year, with a total of 33,000 applications for all internships and A-level programmes.
This years intake has seen the return of 223 interns which means that 18% of this autumns intake have completed an internship scheme with the firm, with 95% of interns offered full time training roles.
Richard Irwin of PwC and head of student recruitment said; "The high number conversions from internships into full time roles represents great return on investment for our firm, and supports our belief that as a business the earlier we work with students, the more successful our recruitment, and their experience will be."
"The recession and financial crisis marked a shift in attitudes towards understanding more about employability with students getting work experience earlier, rather than just relying on the degree on their CVs to get their foot in the door for a job.
"Those who start building their work experience portfolio early on have a much better chance of securing the role of their dreams, and not being left in the frustrating position of post-graduation unemployment. The massive increase in applications we've received this year shows that students are back in the game. They are realising that despite many saying otherwise, there are jobs out there with top notch training schemes and excellent prospects."
The graduate jobs will be across PwC’s tax, assurance, consulting, actuarial, legal, consulting and advisory practices. The graduate trainees will be provided with full training and involved in welcome activities which are designed to show the graduates the firms culture and provide them with an overview of it’s brand values. The graduates will also take part in volunteer projects across the UK to experience PwC’s community programme.
Source: Pareto.co.uk, Thursday 15th September 2011
Sunday, 11 September 2011
PwC swamped by 22,000 applications for graduate jobs
Fresh fears that the jobs market is saturated with over-qualified candidates surfaced when PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed it received 22,000 applications for just 1,200 graduate jobs.
The accountancy firm - recognised for high-quality training schemes - said it received double the number of applications for its graduate scheme compared with last year, suggesting students have wised up to the competitive jobs market by trying to secure a job to go to straight after university.
A futher 11,000 people applied for other training schemes at PwC, including its internship and A-level programme, the company said. Some 1,600 students applied for its A-level scheme, while it received 9,400 applications for 450 internship roles, usually dominated by undergraduates.
The rise in second-year undergraduates trying to get onto an internship scheme at the accountants showed students have been prompted into action following the financial crisis, afraid of being left unemployed unless they seek work experience during their course, PwC said.
Richard Irwin, PwC head of student recruitment, said: “The recession and financial crisis marked a shift in attitudes towards understanding more about employability with students getting work experience earlier, rather than just relying on the degree on their CVs to get their foot in the door for a job.
“Those who start building their work experience portfolio early on have a much better chance of securing the role of their dreams, and not being left in the frustrating position of post-graduation unemployment."
Source: Louisa Peacock, Telegraph.co.uk, Sunday 11th September 2011
The accountancy firm - recognised for high-quality training schemes - said it received double the number of applications for its graduate scheme compared with last year, suggesting students have wised up to the competitive jobs market by trying to secure a job to go to straight after university.
A futher 11,000 people applied for other training schemes at PwC, including its internship and A-level programme, the company said. Some 1,600 students applied for its A-level scheme, while it received 9,400 applications for 450 internship roles, usually dominated by undergraduates.
The rise in second-year undergraduates trying to get onto an internship scheme at the accountants showed students have been prompted into action following the financial crisis, afraid of being left unemployed unless they seek work experience during their course, PwC said.
Richard Irwin, PwC head of student recruitment, said: “The recession and financial crisis marked a shift in attitudes towards understanding more about employability with students getting work experience earlier, rather than just relying on the degree on their CVs to get their foot in the door for a job.
“Those who start building their work experience portfolio early on have a much better chance of securing the role of their dreams, and not being left in the frustrating position of post-graduation unemployment."
Source: Louisa Peacock, Telegraph.co.uk, Sunday 11th September 2011
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Bright students seek jobs instead of university
Bright teenagers are preparing to shun university in favour of finding a job amid intense competition for degree courses and fears over rising graduate debt.
Research by The Daily Telegraph shows a sharp rise in the number of students aged 17 and 18 directly applying to leading companies after leaving school and college.
Employers such as Network Rail, Marks & Spencer, Laing O’Rourke, the engineering firm, and the accountancy firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and Grant Thornton are reporting huge rises in applications for A-level entry jobs this summer.
The disclosure, which comes days before students throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their A-level results, casts doubt on claims that degrees are a prerequisite for careers at top companies.
The exam results are expected to trigger the most intense scramble for university places ever seen as record numbers of students compete for courses before the introduction of annual tuition fees of up to £9,000 in 2012. With those who missed out on places last year adding to demand, it is believed 220,000 out of 707,000 applicants in total may be rejected.
The demand for places has already prompted an estimated third of universities to declare themselves “full” a week before results are published.
In a series of other developments yesterday, it emerged that:
A record one in 10 A-levels could be awarded an A* grade — a rise of around one percentage point on last year — which will make it even harder for universities to pick out the brightest students;
The head of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) said that schools were wrecking teenagers’ degree ambitions by advising them to study the wrong A-levels — leaving them locked out of the most academically demanding institutions;
One of Britain’s biggest exam boards, Edexcel, apologised after wrongly posting thousands of A-level results on its website on Saturday — almost a week early.
University still remains the main aspiration for most schoolchildren. But the competition for places is prompting more sixth-formers to seek other options.
These include applying to European universities where tuition fees are often a fraction of the £3,290 being charged in England from September.
Yesterday, Maastricht University in the Netherlands, which charges £1,526 a year, said it had seen a 15-fold rise in applications from Britain this summer.
But some teenagers are shunning university altogether to focus on apprenticeships and other school entry-level programmes. According to figures from the Association of Graduate Recruiters, more than a quarter of leading businesses employ staff directly from schools and colleges and a fifth of other companies are considering opening up recruitment schemes to this age group.
For the first time, Boots, the chemist, is running an apprenticeship scheme for sixth-formers this year.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has so far received 1,600 applications for just 100 places on its employment scheme for A-level students. Applications for the programme, which leads to a chartered accountant qualification in four years, have doubled in a year and increased almost fourfold since 2008.
Gaenor Bagley, the firm’s head of people, said: “Students are being forced to look at different options for their future and university may not be the right solution. Anyone who has a genuine interest in pursuing a career in business has options.”
Network Rail has received 8,000 applications for 200 places on its paid apprenticeship programme, up from just 4,000 in 2010. The firm said demand for positions was being caused by university leavers unable to find graduate jobs.
Marks & Spencer said applications for just 40 places on its management scheme had increased from 1,100 to 1,600 in a year. Laing O’Rourke said applications for its training scheme had increased by almost 10 per cent to 284 this summer, while Grant Thornton said it had 700 applications for school leaver-entry jobs.
The Government has created more than 100,000 extra apprenticeships for people aged 19 and over this year as an option for young people.
Source: Graeme Paton and Kate Griffin, Telegraph.co.uk, Monday 15th August 2011
Research by The Daily Telegraph shows a sharp rise in the number of students aged 17 and 18 directly applying to leading companies after leaving school and college.
Employers such as Network Rail, Marks & Spencer, Laing O’Rourke, the engineering firm, and the accountancy firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and Grant Thornton are reporting huge rises in applications for A-level entry jobs this summer.
The disclosure, which comes days before students throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their A-level results, casts doubt on claims that degrees are a prerequisite for careers at top companies.
The exam results are expected to trigger the most intense scramble for university places ever seen as record numbers of students compete for courses before the introduction of annual tuition fees of up to £9,000 in 2012. With those who missed out on places last year adding to demand, it is believed 220,000 out of 707,000 applicants in total may be rejected.
The demand for places has already prompted an estimated third of universities to declare themselves “full” a week before results are published.
In a series of other developments yesterday, it emerged that:
A record one in 10 A-levels could be awarded an A* grade — a rise of around one percentage point on last year — which will make it even harder for universities to pick out the brightest students;
The head of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) said that schools were wrecking teenagers’ degree ambitions by advising them to study the wrong A-levels — leaving them locked out of the most academically demanding institutions;
One of Britain’s biggest exam boards, Edexcel, apologised after wrongly posting thousands of A-level results on its website on Saturday — almost a week early.
University still remains the main aspiration for most schoolchildren. But the competition for places is prompting more sixth-formers to seek other options.
These include applying to European universities where tuition fees are often a fraction of the £3,290 being charged in England from September.
Yesterday, Maastricht University in the Netherlands, which charges £1,526 a year, said it had seen a 15-fold rise in applications from Britain this summer.
But some teenagers are shunning university altogether to focus on apprenticeships and other school entry-level programmes. According to figures from the Association of Graduate Recruiters, more than a quarter of leading businesses employ staff directly from schools and colleges and a fifth of other companies are considering opening up recruitment schemes to this age group.
For the first time, Boots, the chemist, is running an apprenticeship scheme for sixth-formers this year.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has so far received 1,600 applications for just 100 places on its employment scheme for A-level students. Applications for the programme, which leads to a chartered accountant qualification in four years, have doubled in a year and increased almost fourfold since 2008.
Gaenor Bagley, the firm’s head of people, said: “Students are being forced to look at different options for their future and university may not be the right solution. Anyone who has a genuine interest in pursuing a career in business has options.”
Network Rail has received 8,000 applications for 200 places on its paid apprenticeship programme, up from just 4,000 in 2010. The firm said demand for positions was being caused by university leavers unable to find graduate jobs.
Marks & Spencer said applications for just 40 places on its management scheme had increased from 1,100 to 1,600 in a year. Laing O’Rourke said applications for its training scheme had increased by almost 10 per cent to 284 this summer, while Grant Thornton said it had 700 applications for school leaver-entry jobs.
The Government has created more than 100,000 extra apprenticeships for people aged 19 and over this year as an option for young people.
Source: Graeme Paton and Kate Griffin, Telegraph.co.uk, Monday 15th August 2011
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Hard work doesn’t always pay
Does it ever make sense to contribute your labour free of charge? Matthew Lewis, then an out-of-work masters graduate, decided it did. Sadly, the introductions to employers promised in lieu of a salary never materialised. Instead, he spent six months interning at a business development consultancy making sales calls without pay or commission. “I did the same job as the guys who hired me – but they were salaried and I wasn’t,” he says.
His is not an isolated case. Reports abound of unfair practices. In February, a BBC documentary, Who Gets the Best Jobs, highlighted the prevalence of unpaid internships in the world of fashion PR. More recently, HSBC’s legal division was accused of nepotism and bolstering social inequality when a senior employee implied that his department limited work experience to the offspring of its own executives. In April, Nick Clegg, the UK deputy prime minister, said Whitehall would ban informal internships as part of a drive to improve social mobility.
Now the controversy has been stoked further by former intern Ross Perlin. In an exposé of questionable practices, Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave New Economy, he estimates there are 500,000 unpaid interns in the US, subsidising corporate America to the tune of $2bn a year.
However, stories of employers in fashion, politics, advertising and the media giving a leg-up to sons and daughters of acquaintances, or taking advantage of jobless graduates desperate for an inside track, paint a partial picture. For every alleged abuse there are also companies using internships to spot outstanding potential and beat competitors in the annual scramble for the best students. “For us, internships are an investment,” says François de Wazières, international recruitment director at L’Oréal, which recruits 3,400 interns worldwide – and pays them. He says they receive an average of about £1,500 ($2,400) in the UK and €1,400 ($2,000) in France.
Some interns at other companies receive non-financial rewards such as a phone after working on a campaign for a mobile phone brand. More important perhaps, practical experience can be a crucial springboard into employment as employers often see it as vital way to spot talent. The creative industries have a tradition of doing this. Like many agencies, marketing group Iris Worldwide hosts unpaid students and encourages them to brainstorm and work up ideas. “The thing [students] need most is experience and access to people in the industry,” says Ian Millner, the chief executive.
The counter-argument is that giving employers a free ride with unpaid labour props up companies that would otherwise go out of business, depresses wages and limits the career options for students who cannot afford to work free. Mr Perlin also argues that internships take away opportunities from regular workers.
When does give and take tip over into exploitation? In the UK, it boils down to whether an individual falls within one of four exemptions to the National Minimum Wage Act: volunteers; voluntary workers; work-shadowing/work experience; and students on course placements. Simply labelling someone an intern is not a get-out, says Alison Clements of Lewis Silkin, the law firm. What matters is whether “they are performing real work” and are obliged to work fixed hours.
Adam Foreman, a partner at Littler Mendelson, the law firm, says US law that guarantees interns a minimum wage is often ignored. Because “the interns are hoping to turn their internships into full-time jobs”, he says, transgressors are rarely hauled before the courts.
In Intern Nation, Mr Perlin dissects the employment practices of some of the world’s biggest corporations, including Disney, which he accuses of replacing “well-trained, decently compensated full-timers” with an army of low-paid interns. But for employers that approach recruitment strategically, internships are typically a cost – albeit one they hope will pay off in better, happier recruits.
By September this year, the UK division of PwC, the professional services firm, will have recruited about a third of its 2012 graduate intake from its summer vacation interns. Over the coming weeks, the group – selected through open competition – will be paid a graduate starting salary, meet clients, receive training and tackle a project. “Our recruitment tools can tell us whether a candidate is right for us,” says Richard Irwin, head of student recruitment. But without this kind of hands-on experience, “what the candidate might not know is whether we are right for them”.
All too often, says Rajeeb Dey, founder of Enternships, which arranges work placements in smaller businesses, employers fail to think through “what it means to have another person inside the company” and interns end up “running random errands”. They leave with a negative perception of the business that they may pass on to fellow students, including via websites such as Interns Anonymous.
Allowing interns “quality time away from their desks” so they can explore the organisation is important, says Jennifer Cook, a graduate recruitment adviser at Linklaters, the law firm. For John Cordrey, a 2010 PwC tax intern, networking with other functions led to a change in his career plans. He is now set to join PwC’s corporate finance team instead of the tax division of a rival, whose internship was “less flexible”, he says.
As the expectations of students change, so must internships. Mr de Wazières says L’Oréal “sells” its international careers to graduates. Until 2009, all interns did their placements in their home country, which for internationally minded high-fliers was frustrating. “For the current generation of students, early international experience has a much bigger appeal.”
His is not an isolated case. Reports abound of unfair practices. In February, a BBC documentary, Who Gets the Best Jobs, highlighted the prevalence of unpaid internships in the world of fashion PR. More recently, HSBC’s legal division was accused of nepotism and bolstering social inequality when a senior employee implied that his department limited work experience to the offspring of its own executives. In April, Nick Clegg, the UK deputy prime minister, said Whitehall would ban informal internships as part of a drive to improve social mobility.
Now the controversy has been stoked further by former intern Ross Perlin. In an exposé of questionable practices, Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave New Economy, he estimates there are 500,000 unpaid interns in the US, subsidising corporate America to the tune of $2bn a year.
However, stories of employers in fashion, politics, advertising and the media giving a leg-up to sons and daughters of acquaintances, or taking advantage of jobless graduates desperate for an inside track, paint a partial picture. For every alleged abuse there are also companies using internships to spot outstanding potential and beat competitors in the annual scramble for the best students. “For us, internships are an investment,” says François de Wazières, international recruitment director at L’Oréal, which recruits 3,400 interns worldwide – and pays them. He says they receive an average of about £1,500 ($2,400) in the UK and €1,400 ($2,000) in France.
Some interns at other companies receive non-financial rewards such as a phone after working on a campaign for a mobile phone brand. More important perhaps, practical experience can be a crucial springboard into employment as employers often see it as vital way to spot talent. The creative industries have a tradition of doing this. Like many agencies, marketing group Iris Worldwide hosts unpaid students and encourages them to brainstorm and work up ideas. “The thing [students] need most is experience and access to people in the industry,” says Ian Millner, the chief executive.
The counter-argument is that giving employers a free ride with unpaid labour props up companies that would otherwise go out of business, depresses wages and limits the career options for students who cannot afford to work free. Mr Perlin also argues that internships take away opportunities from regular workers.
When does give and take tip over into exploitation? In the UK, it boils down to whether an individual falls within one of four exemptions to the National Minimum Wage Act: volunteers; voluntary workers; work-shadowing/work experience; and students on course placements. Simply labelling someone an intern is not a get-out, says Alison Clements of Lewis Silkin, the law firm. What matters is whether “they are performing real work” and are obliged to work fixed hours.
Adam Foreman, a partner at Littler Mendelson, the law firm, says US law that guarantees interns a minimum wage is often ignored. Because “the interns are hoping to turn their internships into full-time jobs”, he says, transgressors are rarely hauled before the courts.
In Intern Nation, Mr Perlin dissects the employment practices of some of the world’s biggest corporations, including Disney, which he accuses of replacing “well-trained, decently compensated full-timers” with an army of low-paid interns. But for employers that approach recruitment strategically, internships are typically a cost – albeit one they hope will pay off in better, happier recruits.
By September this year, the UK division of PwC, the professional services firm, will have recruited about a third of its 2012 graduate intake from its summer vacation interns. Over the coming weeks, the group – selected through open competition – will be paid a graduate starting salary, meet clients, receive training and tackle a project. “Our recruitment tools can tell us whether a candidate is right for us,” says Richard Irwin, head of student recruitment. But without this kind of hands-on experience, “what the candidate might not know is whether we are right for them”.
All too often, says Rajeeb Dey, founder of Enternships, which arranges work placements in smaller businesses, employers fail to think through “what it means to have another person inside the company” and interns end up “running random errands”. They leave with a negative perception of the business that they may pass on to fellow students, including via websites such as Interns Anonymous.
Allowing interns “quality time away from their desks” so they can explore the organisation is important, says Jennifer Cook, a graduate recruitment adviser at Linklaters, the law firm. For John Cordrey, a 2010 PwC tax intern, networking with other functions led to a change in his career plans. He is now set to join PwC’s corporate finance team instead of the tax division of a rival, whose internship was “less flexible”, he says.
As the expectations of students change, so must internships. Mr de Wazières says L’Oréal “sells” its international careers to graduates. Until 2009, all interns did their placements in their home country, which for internationally minded high-fliers was frustrating. “For the current generation of students, early international experience has a much bigger appeal.”
Do’s and don’ts for interns
● Check out your chances. Ask how many interns are made permanent. If the answer is very few, this may indicate that interns are seen as a cheap expedient, rather than as future employees.
● Establish the ratio of interns to staff. A high ratio can be a sign that the employer’s business model is unsustainable.
● Check the work will be relevant. Also check what training you will receive and who will manage you.
● Decide if the internship will develop your skills. Is it merely a job someone else would have to do? Ben Lyons, co-director of campaigners Intern Aware, says he has come across advertisements for “intern receptionists and cooks”.
● Don’t be lured into working set hours without pay. Working flat-out can leave you no time to search for salaried employment.
● Don’t be afraid to look at other options. Becky Heath, co-founder of campaign group Internocracy, says that volunteering may teach you more than a business that treats interns as free labour.
● Check out your chances. Ask how many interns are made permanent. If the answer is very few, this may indicate that interns are seen as a cheap expedient, rather than as future employees.
● Establish the ratio of interns to staff. A high ratio can be a sign that the employer’s business model is unsustainable.
● Check the work will be relevant. Also check what training you will receive and who will manage you.
● Decide if the internship will develop your skills. Is it merely a job someone else would have to do? Ben Lyons, co-director of campaigners Intern Aware, says he has come across advertisements for “intern receptionists and cooks”.
● Don’t be lured into working set hours without pay. Working flat-out can leave you no time to search for salaried employment.
● Don’t be afraid to look at other options. Becky Heath, co-founder of campaign group Internocracy, says that volunteering may teach you more than a business that treats interns as free labour.
Source: Alicia Clegg, FT.com, Thursday 23rd June 2011
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Dramatic rise in graduate job applications, yet graduates fail to find suitable employment
A recent survey has revealed a dramatic 33% increase in graduate job applications over the past year. Yet despite this renewed initiative and confidence in the graduate recruitment market, data has also revealed that 60% of recent graduates have failed to find a graduate job, and are either unemployed or in jobs which do not match their skill level or qualifications.
The two contrasting data sets reveal the uncertainty that still remains in the graduate job sector, which is slowly regaining strength but remains precarious and highly competitive.
Data released by independent research company High Fliers Research has revealed an unprecedented 33% rise in the overall number of graduate job applications made in 2010-2011. Students at the thirty universities surveyed by High Fliers made approximately 343,000 job applications this year in comparison with only 257,000 in 2010 and 244,000 in 2008.
The High Fliers Research also showed that a record 37% of final year students had made early job applications and started applying to graduate employers at the very start of their final year at university. Only 31% applied early in 2009 and 28% in 2006.
However a survey by SHL revealed that 60% of graduates over the past three years have not yet found a graduate job and are either unemployed or underemployed. This accounts for up to 611,682 who were unsuccessful in their search for graduate employment.
WikiJob co-founder, Ed Mellett, suggests that the two sets of results are evidence of the precarious and fluctuating state of the graduate job market. ‘University students are clearly very aware of the perilous state of the job market and by putting in early applications for graduate positions are making a very positive step’, says Ed. ‘However, this increase in competition and applications will mean a lot of disappointed graduates and perhaps an exacerbation of the youth unemployment crisis. There should be an equivalent rise in the number of graduate positions offered by firms. We are already seeing this in the accountancy sector where PwC and Ernst & Young have increased graduate uptake, and hopefully this will continue throughout the employment market’.
The two contrasting data sets reveal the uncertainty that still remains in the graduate job sector, which is slowly regaining strength but remains precarious and highly competitive.
Data released by independent research company High Fliers Research has revealed an unprecedented 33% rise in the overall number of graduate job applications made in 2010-2011. Students at the thirty universities surveyed by High Fliers made approximately 343,000 job applications this year in comparison with only 257,000 in 2010 and 244,000 in 2008.
The High Fliers Research also showed that a record 37% of final year students had made early job applications and started applying to graduate employers at the very start of their final year at university. Only 31% applied early in 2009 and 28% in 2006.
However a survey by SHL revealed that 60% of graduates over the past three years have not yet found a graduate job and are either unemployed or underemployed. This accounts for up to 611,682 who were unsuccessful in their search for graduate employment.
WikiJob co-founder, Ed Mellett, suggests that the two sets of results are evidence of the precarious and fluctuating state of the graduate job market. ‘University students are clearly very aware of the perilous state of the job market and by putting in early applications for graduate positions are making a very positive step’, says Ed. ‘However, this increase in competition and applications will mean a lot of disappointed graduates and perhaps an exacerbation of the youth unemployment crisis. There should be an equivalent rise in the number of graduate positions offered by firms. We are already seeing this in the accountancy sector where PwC and Ernst & Young have increased graduate uptake, and hopefully this will continue throughout the employment market’.
Source: Onrec.com, Thursday 26th May 2011
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
PwC reports largest ever graduate recruitment intake
Accountancy firm PwC has taken on 209 new graduates this April, the highest ever number to join through its annual Spring intake.
Some 5,877 applications were received for 209 places to start in Spring, meaning approximately 30 people applied for each vacancy. This amounts to a 446% increase in applications to the Spring entry on 2009 applications, and a 192% increase on last year.
Although the majority graduated last year, a third of this intake graduated in 2008 and 2009, demonstrating how even some of the best of those who graduated mid recession are only now entering the employment market.
Richard Irwin, PwC Head of Student Recruitment, said:"PwC is committed to recruiting graduate talent with a diverse range of experience, and the firm's Spring intake provides a compelling opportunity for students who don't want to wait until September to commence their careers.
"Only a quarter of the new Spring trainees studied accounting, banking and finance degrees, while over a quarter studied science and engineering. This is just one aspect of the kind of diversity we value in our graduate recruits."
The shifting post-recession job market is forcing new graduates to make difficult choices. A considerable 31% of new trainees are over 25 while 4% are over 30, suggesting professional services is a popular choice for career changers, also possibly due to a squeeze in other industries. Applications are now open to join the firm in September 2011 and April 2012.
Some 5,877 applications were received for 209 places to start in Spring, meaning approximately 30 people applied for each vacancy. This amounts to a 446% increase in applications to the Spring entry on 2009 applications, and a 192% increase on last year.
Although the majority graduated last year, a third of this intake graduated in 2008 and 2009, demonstrating how even some of the best of those who graduated mid recession are only now entering the employment market.
Richard Irwin, PwC Head of Student Recruitment, said:"PwC is committed to recruiting graduate talent with a diverse range of experience, and the firm's Spring intake provides a compelling opportunity for students who don't want to wait until September to commence their careers.
"Only a quarter of the new Spring trainees studied accounting, banking and finance degrees, while over a quarter studied science and engineering. This is just one aspect of the kind of diversity we value in our graduate recruits."
The shifting post-recession job market is forcing new graduates to make difficult choices. A considerable 31% of new trainees are over 25 while 4% are over 30, suggesting professional services is a popular choice for career changers, also possibly due to a squeeze in other industries. Applications are now open to join the firm in September 2011 and April 2012.
Source: David Woods, HRMagazine.co.uk, Wednesday 27th April 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)