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