As reported by Reuters UK, following the recession, students graduating from university this Summer face one of the toughest graduate job markets in decades.
The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) reports that it is expected that for each graduate job vacancy, 70 individual candidates will apply, compared to 49 in 2009 and 31 in 2008.
In addition to this the number of graduate job vacancies available is set to fall by 7 per cent.
The AGR reports that competition for jobs is getting tougher – with 78 per cent of employers demanding a minimum 2:1 qualification to even be considered.
The AGR Chief Executive stated, “Recruiters are under intense pressure this year dealing with a huge number of applications from graduates for a diminishing pool of jobs.”
In response, the National Union of Students (NUS) have called for increased investment in jobs for graduates, stating, “Graduates will be the engines of our economic recovery and the government must invest in creating the jobs and training opportunities so that this exceptional pool of talent does not stagnate.”
Official statistics indicated that one in ten students who graduated in the summer of 2009 have failed to secure a job.
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