Second Post reveals work savvy graduates are keen to restart their career with a graduate programme

Yet nearly a third of those who did not join a scheme straight after university are unaware they can apply for them.

Second Post, the job website for graduates with real experience in the workplace, carried out a survey asking its users about graduate programmes.

A total of 71 percent of the respondents did not start their careers in a graduate position, but nearly 80 percent revealed starting a graduate training scheme appealed to them. Since training schemes normally begin with the basics of any job, this suggests they are willing to start at the bottom of the career ladder again to improve their future prospects.

Despite a large proportion of experienced graduates showing a willingness to join graduate schemes, a third of those surveyed were not aware graduate programmes are open to all.

Second Post manager Polly Littlewood said: ìIt is not just final year students who want to take advantage of the exciting job prospects the graduate programmes offer. Those who have dropped out of a programme they didnít enjoy, taken a year out travelling or want a career change after a few years in the same job are all interested too. The problem is they are overlooked or misinformed despite being equally or even more suitable for the positions.

ìWith so many companies putting all their recruitment efforts into employing fresh graduates every year, those who graduated one, two or even more years ago often get left out. Given that eight out of 10 Second Post users would be interested in joining a scheme, yet a third wrongly believe they cannot join them, companies could do more to take advantage of the so-called ìhidden graduatesî that regular marketing for schemes can miss.

ìOne way is to extend their advertising to websites such as Second Post which caters for graduates with experience in the workplace. Their additional skills and work savvy attitude make them an ideal addition to any workforce.î