The BIGGEST Graduate Employers Revealed

A survey of graduate employers has found that Teach First, set up in 2002 is now the biggest graduate recruiter, beating some of the worlds biggest, longest established companies after taking on over 1,200 university leavers this year. By 2015, the scheme hopes to employ 2,000 graduates each year in order to get ambitious and motivated young teachers into schools serving deprived areas, with the aim of raising standards.

Even better news for Southampton University, the scheme employed 80% of graduates from Russell Group universities with a third being the first in their families to go to university.

Nevertheless, this summer’s university leavers still face a tougher jobs market, with a forecast of a 4% fall in graduate vacancies. The Association of Graduate Recruiter (AGR) annual summer survey shows that leading UK employers

Southampton University hold Graduate Recruitment Fairs specifically for Engineering and Tech students

are receiving 85 applications for each job and often more in companies such as IBM, PwC and the Civil Service Fast Stream.

The survey also shows a sharp downturn in jobs in banking and finance, whilst engineering, IT, retailers, energy and telecommunications are all identified as areas of the jobs market with increasing numbers of vacancies.

The message to students is to not panic as graduate employers are within reason, hiring the same number of graduates as they did before the credit crunch hit. Advice is to be competitive and strategic in your approach to applications.

How have you found getting a graduate job? Any advice for those who aren’t having much luck? Let us know in the comments!