Graduate Job Vacancies To Increase In 2013 In UK

UK’s top 100 employers have assured a growth in graduate job vacancies by 4.6%, the highest since the statistics of 2008. Each graduate job vacancy in the UK receives about 46 applicants for each position. Students who are set to graduate in 2013 have all reasons to cheer as the job market is showing promise and is expected to expand its job positions even further in 2014. The majority of the firms out of 100 which were surveyed expect to hire more graduates than the previous year while only a majority seems to decrease the number of new recruits.

Internships and job experience

Top 100 employers as rated by final year students of leading universities of UK say that they prefer to recruit graduates who have undergone internships or possess job experience. Graduates who have completed internships are three times more likely to be recruited since work experience is now considered as a vital element in a candidate. Job experience and hands on training reduces the training costs of employers, thereby helping them to achieve optimum results. A survey if leading employers also indicates that graduates with no previous job experience or internship will find struggle to land in a job despite good grades in their respective courses.

Graduates who are recruited to graduate job openings are paid an average salary of £29,000 in the private sector which has been constant for the past 4 years. The public sector, which showed great expansion strides up to 18.6% in recruiting paid graduates an average salary of £22,000. After graduation the most popular vacancies are in the fields of marketing, media, accounting, engineering, teaching, voluntary work, etc. London and South-East England is said to be the choice of one in every three of the graduates. The financial capital has signaled a change in its job market conditions since the days of recession with more demand for graduates.

Historical rise in the number of graduate job vacancies

A research made by Income Data Services (IDS) has also confirmed that job openings for the graduates are set to increase by 8% in 2013. Compared to all other sectors, retail industry shows great optimism and is expected to increase its such vacancies by 30%. However, an increase in the average salary paid compared to last year is not likely to come, since most employers are still reeling from the aftermath of the recession and worries about the gloomy economic environment.

An employment survey in the UK has also confirmed that the number of jobs which require a basic degree are more in number than jobs which do not require any qualifications. This number has increased drastically in the 1980’s and 90s where graduate jobs accounted for only 1 in every 10. Given the increase in employment openings for the graduates and prospective expansion plans of the global corporations graduate job vacancies are to increase manifold.

Graduates with internship and job experience can thus rejoice as their career is all set to rise to a new higher plane. An optimistic approach towards the changing face of the economy shall also be a boon for many students who are graduating in the coming years.