A group of graduates have met David Cameron during an event held to mark his first major speech as the Prime Minister in Shipley, West Yorkshire today.
All the graduates have recently used the Graduates Yorkshire services to help find employment in the region and were guests at the event held at Pace, a leading digital TV technology company.
They discussed the challenges students face in the current economic climate and the need for support after graduating from university to help ensure talented young adults are not left unemployed.
Vince Cable, The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, was also present at the meeting.
The group included Jennifer Leverton who is currently employed as an intern at Yorkshire Universities.
She said: “It was a great honour and an amazing experience to meet the Prime Minister and Vince Cable. It was just as important to get the opportunity to let them know how hard it is for Graduates to get to find the appropriate jobs.
“It’s no longer the case that a degree gets you into the career of your choice, and many graduates have to do additional work experience or internships to find longer term employment and not everyone can afford to do that.
“I found Graduates Yorkshire’s services a great help when searching for an internship and even managed to get an internship through them. Hopefully that will help me find a permanent role after the placement has finished.“
Despite Yorkshire having one of the largest Higher Education economies of any region, generating £3 billion of output, the percentage of graduates employed in key public and private organisations in Yorkshire is among the lowest in the UK.
Companies wanting to get involved with the Graduates Yorkshire Internship programme can contact Project Manager Becky Ascough on 0114 222 0954.
