The need for greater tech skills in the UK is a well debated issue, with many claiming there is still a big shortage. However, this issue isn’t just about skills: there is also a shortage of roles for intelligent graduates, with computer science students topping the list of unemployed graduates last year.
The technology industry is missing out on this important resource by not opening up their vacancies wide enough. However, there is good news on the horizon; according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), the number of graduate vacancies was set to rise by more than 10% across 2014. This is great news for the overall economy and the technology industry in particular, which is seen as a ‘big growth sector’ for graduate recruitment.
Richard Acreman, CEO of WM360, the specialist business consulting and technology services firm, looks at why technology firms should be looking to recruit graduates this summer:
Fresh perspective
Graduates bring with them fresh ideas, enthusiasm and creativity which can complement the experience and expertise of more senior members of the team. These new approaches can often transform businesses which may otherwise be stuck with legacy ways of thinking.
Frame of mind
Recent graduates tend to be very ambitious and keen to prove themselves. In addition, those that enter the workforce straight after university are still in the ‘university’ frame of mind, which means studying and learning at a rapid rate. As a result, they are often able to pick up new information quickly.
Recruitment
An added bonus of recruiting graduates is the opportunity to gain access to their pool of friends. It’s commonplace for employees to refer friends that possess the particular skills that the company needs, which can provide another effective way of securing new talent.