Graduate jobs on the increase

The number of graduate vacancies is predicted to rise by 11.9% this year, according to a survey of 200 employers by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). They also found that many companies plan to offer more school leaver jobs, up from 54.7% in 2013 to 72.7%. Charlie Ball, head of HE intelligence at Prospects, said, “This year’s graduates can be confident that there are more opportunities available and that they can expect better job prospects than the previous cohort as the economy strengthens. However, they should remember that they will, as always, need to put the effort into finding these positions, make considered applications and seek careers advice from their university”.

Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive of the AGR, said that “tensions persist” in the graduate jobs market, as 1,400 additional jobs could have been offered last year, if employers had found enough candidates with “the right mix of skills”. The AGR survey found that 44.8% of employers reported unfilled vacancies in 2013/2014, with the largest proportion occurring in the IT and telecoms sector, where 11.8% of graduate vacancies remained unfilled. Some employers cited lack of technical and professional skills as the key reasons for the unfilled positions, others point to a rising number of graduates backing out of offers. Mr Isherwood said: "Difficulties in attracting the right talent with the right mix of skills in the right location are on the increase, not since 2008 has the problem been so pronounced."  [ source GTAssociates ]