the company for students, graduates and employers simon reichwald director, bright futures

The company for students, graduates and employers

Simon ReichwaldDirector, Bright Futures

The Company for students, graduates and employers

UK’s leading student, graduate and employer network for school and university talent – focused on employability and employmentWhat makes us unique

1977 - Student Industrial Society2007 - Bright Futures Society45+ UniversitiesGrowing platform of schools

One door to early and emergent talent

“One size does not fit all”

ConsultingOn Campus SolutionsSelection & Recruitment [sub 100 grads p.a.]Training & Development

“Making a difference for students and employers”

Improving student career engagement Seen by the HE Academy as an example of best practice Over 250 events run in 2011/12 60% of our 2010/11 committee members had found

themselves employment before the end of the academic year

And 50% of those were with our clients

• State of the Graduate Market• What Employers seek from Graduates• What Students like & need• What Employers seek from Universities– On Campus Activities

• Summary

Graduates hit as

Graduates hit as

companies scrap

companies scrap

training schemes

training schemes

[The Times

[The Times 25/08/2010]

25/08/2010]

Many graduates 'earn less than school leavers'

People Management Magazine Online

Graduate unemployment at highest for over a decade [BBC News – 26/11/2010]

Graduate Graduate

unemployment up 25

unemployment up 25

per centper cent

Times Higher Education

Times Higher Education

04/07/201004/07/2010Nearly 20000 of last year's graduates -

one in ten - were unemployed six months after leaving university - up

from eight per cent in 2008.People Management Magazine

[02/07/2010]

Graduate Graduate

unemployment increases

unemployment increases

44% in one year 44% in one year [[The The

Guardian 02/11/2010]

Guardian 02/11/2010]

Value of holding a degree shrinks for 21st-century graduates - The Guardian

Work experience Work experience and networking and networking key to graduate key to graduate jobseekers

jobseekers [Chartered Management Institute]

New internships for graduate job

hunters [DirectGov]

Pay gap between graduates and those

without degrees widens with age

[The Guardian 07/09/2011]

Networking and work experience are best

Networking and work experience are best

ways into graduate jobs

ways into graduate jobs

[HRmagazine.co.uk]

[HRmagazine.co.uk]

Degree seen as vital for social mobility [Financial Times 07/09/2011]

• AGR Members Hire c10%• SME Recruiters• 3 Types of Graduate Roles – all credible routes• Graduate Salaries (3 year of stagnation) – agr & others

• More and More Competitive – applications trebling• 79% of students go to University to improve their

job prospects• 57% of students want their University to do more

to help their employability

Face to

Face

Psychometrics

Online application form

OffersOffers

Advertising and Attraction

SEPTEMBER

AUTUMN TERM

BY EASTER

Telephone Interview

• Academic Achievement (allows you to apply)

• Competencies (‘Tell me about a time when…?’)

• “What more have you done?” How are you different?

– Work Experience & Commerciality– Achievement– Made an impact / difference

• Can they verbalise and demonstrate these differences & their skills?

• Like– Speed Networking– Impactful, real world insights into employers– To take part, not have it done to them (empowered)

– Relevant / tailored to them as individuals• Birmingham School of Social Sciences• Meet current graduates (alumni events)

• Need– Compulsory as Pareto’s Law (The scary facts - Exeter 321)– Early intervention, engagement (‘If only I’d known’), when they

have more time

• Aims:– Attract & Educate about them, the breadth of roles

and who can apply– Help develop skills– Hires, Spend Less, Increased conversion rates & ROI

• Challenges:– Time, Resources, Money– Which Universities / Faculties to target / how easy it is

• Target Fewer Universities– Based more and more on ROI not just rankings

• Work more closely with them– Careers Services– Academic Departments– Societies

• ‘Nirvana’ is early & consistent engagement, with all relevant students to build relationships

• Curricula, Co-Curricula and Extra-Curricula• Employers want to identify opportunities that

are right for them at all levels• Practicalities:– Too many employers - saturation• Create sector groups• Promote the sector not just the individual company

– Time in curriculum for skills reflection

• Massive Improvement but much more needed• Challenges:– (Early) Engagement– Individualise / Personalise– Resource and Time– Multiple demands

• Collaboration is key• Empower the students to take responsibility

The company for students, graduates and employers

Simon ReichwaldDirector, Bright Futures01242 236415simon@brightfutures.co.uk