Student fears having to join Yorkshire’s ‘brain drain’

Politics student Guy Thomas, above, finishes his studies at Sheffield University at the end of this summer and is keen to remain in the city.

But many of his friends are now moving to the capital because of the lack of employment opportunities in the region.

The 22-year-old is studying for a masters after completing a three-year politics degree at one of the region’s top universities.

He fears now, however, that despite his qualifications he will be unable to launch a career in Sheffield.

He warned that Yorkshire could be hit by a “brain drain” as Government spending cuts hit public sector jobs and dampen any economic recovery.

Mr Thomas said: “I think in the past people have thought that you could look to the public sector for a good entry level job but that is no longer the case and as the cuts continue this is only going to get worse.

“I have applied for jobs up here which I have considered myself wildly over-qualified for and I haven’t even got a look in. This is because of the competition and the number of people going for each vacancy. I think this is the picture everywhere outside of London.”

The Government have hailed the creation of tens of thousands of jobs across the country as a vindication of their economic plans.

But London has been the main beneficiary while the number of people in work in Yorkshire has dropped.

While an extra 109,000 people are in work in the capital compared with a year ago, in Yorkshire there are 20,000 fewer people in jobs.

picture: Simon Hulme