Graduate News & Advice
Third of UK graduates look abroad for work
Milkround News, 17 February 2010
A third of British graduates are considering moving abroad to beat the employment blues.
Onrec reports a survey by Studentgems.com found the struggle to find work in the UK was the main reason for leaving the UK in search of better career prospects.
The website quizzed more than 1,000 graduates and final year students to find out their post-degree intentions.
One in five finalists said they were considering a Masters degree to complement their education while two thirds said they would try to secure employment before looking at further studies. The remainder said they were looking into all options, including taking a gap year.
The average graduate had applied for between 20 and 30 jobs with just five percent resulting in an interview. It was claimed just 40 percent of employers got back in touch with interviewees to inform them of whether they had been unsuccessful post-interview.
Sue Harrison of Studentgems.com said: "Even if only a quarter of these students looking at jobs abroad left for greener pastures, the loss to the British job market would be felt for years to come.
"Graduates are becoming more and more likely to stray and the reason is lack of success whilst job hunting. I’d advise students to get as much relevant experience as they can whilst at university."
Further signs of the end of the graduate job crunch
Milkround News, 09 February 2010
There are more signs graduates won’t be fighting so hard for jobs this summer.
The Association of Graduate Recruiters has revealed the number of jobs cuts last year was just 8.9 percent rather than the 24.9 percent predicted, and 2010 will see only a modest decline of 1.6 percent.
The figures from its bi-annual survey suggests there is further evidence graduate recruitment is emerging from the recession relatively unscathed following a prediction by High Fliers that graduate vacancies could go up by as much as 12 percent in 2010.
Among the 214 graduate recruiters, the banking and financial services are predicting a 24.5 percent increase with investment banks and fund managers set for a 16.2 percent rise. The largest growth will be at oil companies and consulting, both focusing on more graduate recruitment this year.
Chief Executive of the AGR, Carl Gilleard, said: "Today’s survey suggests that the graduate employment market is starting to normalise and to begin the process of recovery. A small decrease following a large one the year before is consistent with previous trends and, by 2011, we could be seeing vacancy increases for the first time since 2008. It is heartening to see employers remain steadfast in their commitment to graduates."
The good news does not extend to graduate starting salaries. The average starting salary is likely to remain at the £25,000 mark for the second year – unprecedented in the 20-year history of the AGR survey. The freeze is described as a double hit for graduates of 2009 and 2010 who are the first to pay top-up tuition fees for all three years of their degree. London remains the highest paid region despite £625 a year coming off wages. Engineering, insurance and FMCG starters face cuts but there will be growth in the construction, transport, IT and telecommunications industry.
Mr Gilleard added: "Though vacancy figures are starting to turn the corner, the picture for salaries is less positive from the graduates’ perspective. This could not have come at a worse time for the current crop of graduates who are the first to enter the workplace with the daunting task of paying off three years of tuition fees ahead of them. Those with jobs in banking, finance and law will be somewhat cushioned from the impact but graduates starting out in the third and public sectors will really feel the pinch this year. If the Browne Review recommends lifting the cap off tuition fees the need to secure a good graduate starting salary will become even more vital in future years."
Graduates thinking of postponing their job search in 2010 are advised to take temporary work, skills training or unpaid work by the AGR’s employers. Taking a gap year or gaining graduate job experience in a different field was less popular among recruiters, and further educational development was the least advisable course of action.
Thousands of disabled students are still waiting for funding to buy basic study aids like Braille paper and computer equipment, it has been revealed.
By Eleanor Harding
Published: 12:01AM GMT 04 Feb 2010
Almost four months into the academic year, more than 12,000 are yet to receive the money they are entitled to, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show.
The backlog, which represents two-thirds of the 19,000 who submitted application forms for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), has not changed since November.
As reported, the Student Loans Company was heavily criticised after widespread failures led to huge delays in processing applications over the last six months.
An official inquiry into the fiasco found that only five per cent of phone calls were answered at peak times and documents had been lost.
David Willetts, Tory shadow universities spokesman, accused ministers of “passing the buck” over the prolonged delays at the SLC.
He said: “These figures are truly shocking. Almost four months after term started, and two months after the Government said the problems were being fixed, thousands of disabled students are still waiting for the funding they need to pay for vital equipment.
“Ministers are still passing the buck and still failing to deliver. Students deserve better – much better.”
Students with disabilities or learning difficulties depend on the grants to pay for support staff. IT equipment and other resources.
The SLC said it was still waiting for information from 5,179 assessment centres and 4,297 students, and was processing the applications as quickly as possible.
A spokesman said: “The application process for DSAs is supported by specialised independent assessment centres that are best placed to assess individual needs for additional support.
“For this reason, applications for DSAs take longer than applications for other types of student finance to determine course-related needs.”
In September the SLC apologised for the huge delay in processing student loan applications, and said applications had risen by 83,000 on the previous year.
Applications are believed to have been fuelled by the recession and a growth in the number of students starting university in 2009.
End of recession will boost graduate job prospects
Milkround News, 28 January 2010
Graduates have been given a reason to be optimistic when looking for work. New figures show the UK economy has come out of recession with reported growth of 0.1 percent in the last quarter of 2009.
The Recruitment and Employment Conferation claims this slight recovery could boost employer confidence and accelerate the increasing demand for permanent and temporary staff. The latest REC JobsOutlook showed that employer confidence was already starting to rise with one in five businesses planning to increase their workforce this year and More than 90 percent not intending on any more job cuts. Roger Tweedy, the REC's Director of Research said: "The UK jobs market has shown positive signs of recovery for several months and today's news will further boost employer confidence. It is also likely that this will lead to some fluidity returning to the labour market as more workers currently in employment feel confident enough to look at new opportunities. "However, we need to be realistic about how quickly the economy is likely to grow. The road back towards full employment will be slow and we will need to enhance practical support for job-seekers in what will remain a competitive labour market. The Government must also focus on practical measures for helping business grow in order to further stimulate demand for staff."