WITH a predicted 5.4% fall in graduate vacancies this year due to the economic downturn, many students are going travelling or even back to studying upon graduation, in the hope that they will face brighter prospects when they return.
This is the first time since 2003 that graduate recruitment has decreased, and the top 100 recruiters like Marks & Spencer and British Airways will cut the number of graduates they will employ this year by 17%.
While this paints a dark picture for the class of 2009, there is still hope for graduates embarking on the employment market. There are still jobs out there, although they will be harder to get as more people will be competing for them. So it is important for final year students and graduates to be pro-active. Researching career options and getting good work experience are key to succeeding in this difficult environment.
Aberdeen-based, consultancy, training, e-learning and multimedia services company Cresent is helping students get that increasingly challenging first foot in the door by continuing to provide work placements for undergraduates; and this year, two Robert Gordon University students have been given the opportunity to gain ‘live’ work experience.
Cresent has supported Julia Gilbert and Claire Lynch in developing their skills through practical experience in human resources and digital media. Julia is undertaking a five-week placement in human resources and Claire is currently completing a 10-week placement in the media department.
Both students feel that having this experience will stand them in good stead for the future. Claire, whose placement is part of her third year undergraduate studies in design for digital media, said: “Having this experience in a working environment really helps to set you apart from the crowd of graduates who will all be vying for jobs in what is now an even more competitive market. Having no practical experience is not ideal for employers anyway, so completing this placement will really help me stand out.”
Tracie Watson, finance and HR director at Cresent said: “Taking on placement students ensures that young people with excellent skills and knowledge get the opportunity to utilise those in a working environment before they graduate. This is more important now than ever with the economic circumstances expected to have such a significant impact on graduate recruitment. With more graduates vying for a smaller number of jobs, it is crucial that employers give them as many opportunities as possible to enhance their skills and improve their chances when they try to enter the employment market.”
Tracie added: “Employers can really benefit from having fresh ideas and the latest thinking in the office. It’s also an excellent way for employers to ‘talent scout’ for this year’s cream of the graduate crop. Although a placement shouldn’t be like The Apprentice, it is an opportunity for an extended interview process. Some students are quite surprised at the pace of work in the busy office of a company operating internationally like Cresent.”
Claire has been putting her studies into practice by working on web design, internet advert design and marketing concepts at Cresent. She says: “It has been a great experience of the real world. It has opened my eyes to a lot of things, particularly the fast pace of work. I have done more in two weeks than I might have done a few months at university. The placement has also been a good opportunity to build up my own portfolio.”
Julia is studying a postgraduate course in human resource management at RGU, having previously completed a degree in psychology. She was involved in researching and designing a new appraisal system for Cresent, putting her people skills to a new test. She said: “I worked on looking at examples of best practice in appraisals and consulting staff about what they wanted. It was great experience as I have never built a system like this from scratch before. I can see why developing a system like this is important for a growing company like Cresent, especially when Cresent is operating globally from the Aberdeen headquarter office and has significantly increased its staff headcount in recent years.
“It was also a great confidence boost when I had to do a presentation in front of the whole company. The Cresent staff were really supportive, making me feel part of the team even though I was working on a separate project. Tracie, the HR director, was a great person to learn from too.”
The placements are of mutual benefit to both student and company in these difficult times.
Tracie said: “It is beneficial for Cresent to have these students on board even if it is short term, because it always helps to have people with a fresh perspective in the team to bring in new ideas. It is this variety that brings diverse skills and enriches an organisation. And despite all the doom and gloom headlines around, companies like Cresent are still actively growing and always looking to secure the best of young talent to enable that growth.”
Universities may be concerned just now about their graduates securing employment, so building relationships with local and national employers helps brighten the prospects for a great number of graduates.
Shona Cormack, vice principal and pro vice-chancellor of student experience and external relations at Robert Gordon University, said: “We are extremely grateful to Cresent for taking on two more of our students this year.
“These placements are crucial to give our students the practical skills needed for the workplace which underpin their academic learning. In an increasingly difficult graduate recruitment market student placement opportunities give students invaluable experience which allows them to stand out from the crowd.”
Cresent provides consultancy, training, e-learning and multimedia services predominantly related to health and safety within the global energy sector. For more information, visit www.cresent.co.uk or call 01224 636870.