Graduate recruitment data shows worrying signs

Most students are worried about how Covid-19 might affect their university marks and feel under pressure due to uncertainty caused by the ongoing outbreak, research showed.

Graduates need to be supported so they can enter the right careers and help rebuild a badly-affected economy, the Bright Network said.

Its What Do Graduates Want? survey of more than 5,000 students, found that 80 per cent of this year’s graduates are worried that coronavirus will affect their grades and 83 per cent feel under more pressure because of uncertainty prompted by the pandemic.

Some 63 per cent of students said their applications had been put on pause or withdrawn because of the virus’ continued spread, showing the market for graduate jobs has slowed significantly since the onset of the crisis, the network said.

Just under half, 49 per cent, of would-be graduates were confident of securing a job before the pandemic, but that has dropped to one third, the survey suggested.

James Uffindell, founder of the organisation, which aims to connect young people from all backgrounds with the world’s leading employers, said graduates need support as they prepare to enter the workplace in the wake of the pandemic.

He said: “In these uncertain times, graduates need all the help they can get to understand what the opportunities are, and how best to find them.

“It’s incumbent on universities, employers and services like ours to step up our support to ensure graduates are getting into the right careers - helping to rebuild an economy that will have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.”

The findings come after Leeds-based graduate recruitment speicalist Melanie Parker last week urged businesses not to completely withdraw from the graduate talent piepline.

Ms Parker, who runs her own recruitment agency called Graft, warned that businesses in the region could be adversely impacted by a brain drain as a result of the coronavirus shutdown.

Yorkshire is home to some of the biggest universities in the country attracting talent from across the globe. Ms Parker says that a lot of furture prospective international students could become wary about travelling to far from their home countries to study ffollowing the Covid-19 outbreak.

She said: “I think there will be a massive dent in international applications to universities. This will have been such a scary time. What it might do is make people want to stay closer to home.

“Imagine being a student in Leeds currently and you’re from China, Brazil or India, when something like this happens and you can’t spend time with your family, that might have a significant effect. At times like this you want to be near your family.”

Ms Parker previously worked at Leeds Beckett University as an employer engagement manager and set up Graft in 2018 to help young graduates find gainful employment.

According to the Institute of Student Employers (ISE), graduate jobs have reduced by 27 per cent as a result of the outbreak.

Ms Parker’s advice to graduates is to consider a career pivot. She also says jobseeking graduates will need to get creative with applications and research companies in a “really forensic way”.