Dubbed ‘The Lost Generation’, Britain now has over 350,000 graduates leaving university each year competing to find employment. Yet this group of educated individuals are confronted with the greatest lack of opportunity we have experienced in decades.
Our current and recent Senior Politicians were generally supported financially through university, whereas our current crop of outstanding graduates emerge into a poor economic climate, with their student debt averaging £15k and facing the toughest employment market in years.
Even when graduates do manage to secure employment, many settle for lower paid jobs. According to a recent graduate recruitment study, one in six graduates admitted that they would have reconsidered going to university if they had realised how difficult life would be once they had graduated.
The UK already has the second highest youth unemployment in Europe, resulting in a number of graduates making the decision to move abroad to gain the vital work experience they require for their CV.
The question is: Can Britain really afford to lose such talent?
Burns Carlton Executive Search and Selection believe we can not and should not, and so have launched their ‘Adopt a Grad’ initiative. Each month, they will select one graduate from the many applications they receive and assist however possible in that individuals search for employment.
Burns Carlton realise the difficulties young people are faced with as they try and get a foot into the world of work, with a number of graduates resorting to unpaid work placements which can last up to 12 months.
With no recruitment fee payable by either the client or the graduate, Chairman Bob Healy is leading this campaign and with the assistance of his team will ‘adopt’ one graduate each month and offer support and coaching in their job search.
With offices in Leeds and London, Burns Carlton are beginning this initiative in the Leeds area with a graduate who has spent the majority of her life living in Leeds, ensuring Burns Carlton support their local area.
Bob Healy states “these graduates are the future of our businesses and our economy. If we at Burns Carlton can place one every month I feel we are putting something back.”
