The graduates have spoken. The result of a poll by the Trendence Institute responded to by over 15,000 former students gave the loud and clear message that universities are going to have to work much harder in preparing their students for the world of graduate employment if they want to justify the ??9,000-a-year price tag on a degree. More than 25% of female graduates and nearly 20% of male graduates affirmed that their courses have been insufficient in delivering them with the skills required to succeed in the working environment. Many expressed their acceptance of the fact that they may have to relocate in order to ensnare that graduate job, 90% of those polled said they would be willing to move within the UK or further abroad, within Europe or even globally if it meant obtaining a job.
Perhaps the results of this poll are not really a surprise given the turbulent last few years in terms of employment and the unease students and graduates have felt about their chances of getting onto the career ladder. For this reason, then, the fact that the Trendence Institute's poll's result emerged last week alongside the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards could provide such disgruntled graduates with some key information as to the best graduate recruiters.
These Awards are the world's largest student-led graduate recruitment awards event, panelled by an online poll over 16,000 students.
At the Awards, Stephen Isherwood, head of graduate recruitment at Ernst & Young, winner of best graduate internship programme award, declared that work experience will be crucial to procuring a job, proving the importance of making the most of internships. Of the 750 graduates Ernst & Young will take on this year, 30-35% will have completed such an internship with the company. "Be proactive, ask questions, talk to other graduates and senior people; get stuck in, immerse yourself," he insisted.
TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards results
Graduate employee of the year Melissa Yorke, Asda
Graduate employer of the year: E.ON
TARGETjobs lifetime achievement Award: Margaret Dane
AGCAS award for excellence in careers service engagement: HBJ Gateley Wareing
Most popular graduate recruiters:
Hospitality, leisure and tourism: Walt Disney
Property: Savills
Accounting and financial management: PwC
Banking, insurance and financial services: HSBC Global Banking
Charity and not-for-profit: Amnesty International
Construction, civil engineering and surveying: Arup
Consulting: IBM
Consumer goods ??????œ manufacturing and marketing: L'Oreal
Energy and utilities: BP
Engineering, design and manufacture: Rolls-Royce
Investment banking and investment: Goldman Sachs
IT/Telecoms: Microsoft
Law: Allen & Overy LLP
Logistics, transport and supply chain: British Airways
Media and advertising: BBC TV
Public sector: NHS Graduate Schemes
Retail: Arcadia Group
Scientific research and development: GlaxoSmithKline
Best student marketing campaign for organisations recruiting more than 50 graduates per year: Accenture
Best student marketing campaign for fewer than 50 graduates a year: ICAP
Best graduate recruitment website: Jaguar Land Rover
Best graduate internship/ vacation programme: Ernst & Young
Diversity recruitment award: Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Best on-campus innovation: Hertfordshire Constabulary
Louise, GRB Journalist
