11 February 2008

Rise in graduate vacancies, says study

Graduate job vacancies in the UK will rise this year but employers anticipate difficulties filling them, according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).

The AGR’s bi-annual survey of 217 big employers predicts graduate vacancies will be 16.4% higher than last year. Vacancies have risen for the fifth year running and are at their highest level this decade. Salaries are expected to increase modestly by 2.1%, bringing the average salary for new graduates to £24,000.

More than two thirds of the employers (67%) expected to have problems recruiting the right people, because graduates are becoming increasingly selective and applicants lack the right skills.

A quarter of recruiters are now actively marketing their UK vacancies to overseas graduates in order to "recruit the very best talent that is available". The study said: "A quarter of employers praised the strong work ethic and desire to succeed of overseas graduates."

"It does indicate that recruiters are becoming increasingly discerning and will not lower their standards to fill these positions," said AGR’s chief executive Carl Gilleard. "The fact that employers are beginning to widen their recruitment field outside of the UK may have wider long-term implications for the economy."

There has also been an increase in the recruitment of graduates from ethnic minorities. In 2007, over a quarter (26.7%) of graduates came from minority ethnic backgrounds. The highest ethnic group was Indian (19.3%), followed by Chinese (18.2%) and Black African (13.7%). The survey attributed this rise to extensive and effective marketing and targeting by employers to improve the ethnic mix of their workforces.