With the AGR Conference 2009 now fully in swing, there seems to be a notable different between the buzz at the conference and the more downbeat tone of the AGR survey. Terrence Perrin, the AGR Chair, introduced the survey results this morning by asserting that while there have been some fairly significant shifts in the graduate recruitment market this year, they are by no means all bad and the overarching message is one of cautious optimism.
So what is there to be optimistic about? Well Holger Koch, managing director of employer brand experts the Trendence Institute, has picked out a few key positive notes from this year’s survey findings. Despite an overall drop in the number of graduate vacancies in the UK this year, as reported on this blog earlier, one in five employers reported a 20% rise in the number of graduate vacancies they have filled or are planning to fill in 2009. One leading government employer, Marina Aldridge of the Audit Commission, added that they had expanded their graduate scheme this year, while National Rail have doubled their graduate intake.
What’s more, the uncertainty around the permanent graduate recruitment market has had a positive effect on internships. The number of internships available to graduates and current students has remained unharmed by the recession, earning the vocal support of AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard: “Paid graduate internships have been relatively unaffected by the downturn and most employers are offering at least 10 placements. The Government’s new internships scheme, while not a panacea, will also help many graduates this autumn.”
Looking to the future, only 15.9% of employers envision taking on fewer graduates next year, with nearly 80% predicting their level of recruitment will either remain constant or increase in 2010. Over a quarter anticipate hiring more graduates next year.
In short, there is a distinct sense at this year’s conference that the recession’s effect on graduate recruitment has bottomed out and that the market is in a state of recovery. The battle for graduates looking for work may not be over, but a ceasefire certainly seems just around the corner.
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on Jul 14th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
[...] year the seminars at the AGR Conference throw up a host of interesting themes and topics around the graduate recruitment market. And this [...]