Marc Lintern, Director of Student and Graduate Success and Jane Howe, Student and Graduate Opportunities Manager
The jobs market remains competitive, but demand for our graduates continues to be positive, write Marc and Jane.
Marc Lintern, Director of Student and Graduate Success and Jane Howe, Student and Graduate Opportunities Manager
With job losses and closures being reported every week in the news, it would be natural to conclude that it will be even tougher for our Class of 2024 to secure graduate employment. But what is really going on out there for our students, and how can the Careers and Employability Service help?
Looking at the labour market generally, the number of vacancies fell once again in January according to the British Chamber of Commerce, and employment costs remain high with three-quarters of firms struggling to hire and retain staff.
For the University, this is when businesses need to not only think about maintaining a long-term strategy on skills and training, but also about how businesses can partner more effectively with local further and higher education providers, to help them attract early talent and shore up their succession planning.
With regards to students and graduates, the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) is more positive, predicting a 5% growth in the graduate labour market this year. While this has dropped slightly from the 6% predicted last year, it tells us that firms are still recruiting, and they are still recognising the need to keep their early talent pipeline turned on.
Opportunities through the Careers and Employability Service
With demand in the graduate labour market still good, the Careers and Employability Service is advertising more than 800 graduate opportunities on MyCareer, and this is showing no sign of slowing down.
The Careers Service is also working with organisations such as B&Q and IBM to pilot Changemaker Challenges with our students, and the Service’s Graduate Recruitment Team sourced 50 new graduate positions in January and February, and with a number of other graduates in the final stages of selection with local employers.
Therefore, while the graduate jobs market remains highly competitive, with an average of 86 applications per graduate scheme vacancy, demand for our graduates remains positive.
New and existing support for students and graduates
So, apart from advertising graduate roles, what is the Careers and Employability Service doing, and why should you encourage your students and graduates to get in touch?
- The team is launching, in April, a Work Ready Programme through which students can book a mock interview with experienced recruiters, including members of our own People Services team.
- Students can book in for LinkedIn Clinics, to create a LinkedIn profile and have their professional photo taken by colleagues from CCI.
- The Careers team has a new careers adviser working specifically with graduates in their first-year post-graduation, to help them secure work or study, and to direct them to specialist start up support.
- The Careers Service also has a new team of Student Advisers, providing peer-to-peer advice on writing high quality CVs, and securing part time work.
- The Careers Service’s Graduate Recruitment Team will support final year students and recent graduates, looking to secure graduate-level employment in companies along the South Coast.
- And as mentioned, the team is advertising more than 800 graduate roles and offering practical advice and help our students and graduates secure opportunities.
With our latest group of final year students approaching the end of their courses, please encourage them to make use of the Careers and Employability Service. Even if they don’t know what to do next, they’ll find all sorts of practical help and advice to make their next step.