Graduate time bomb…

Paul Levett commercial director for SHL Group sent a letter to People Management commenting that he is very concerned that major UK employers have cut their graduate recruitment schemes. Paul states that graduate trainees are the future managers and leaders, brought in fresh and eager to learn. I am a graduate only graduating from university a few years ago, I agree with the statement but don’t think that it fits with all graduates. I know a lot of graduates who believe the time they spent at university warrants the graduate scheme and the schemes are commonly seen as a set fast track route to the top without much effort.

Paul also states that with business commentators starting to talk of “green shoots”, it is crucial that employers continue to invest in talent.  I agree again with the statement but I don’t agree that graduates are the only people to be able to offer this, there are a lot of talented people who never go to university. I believe that graduate schemes should not exist and that there should be one common “fast/acceleration” route giving the employer the option to add employees that have been identified during employment or direct from school/collage. Having one talent identification scheme can also be linked easier to an affective retention strategy.