News and features

Mon, 11 May 2009

Companies urged to sign up to Talent Pool

Graduates are to be linked to internships through the new Talent Pool scheme.

Organisations offering internships to graduates are being offered a new way to find suitable candidates.

John Denham, university and skills secretary, announced the next phase of the government's graduate internship initiative today and outlined various benefits to both university leavers and those running a business.

Called the Graduate Talent Pool, the scheme is designed to match skilled people to organisations offering internships through a dedicated website.

Businesses will benefit from the opportunity to "inject fresh talent" into their workplace, according to the scheme organisers, while graduates will be able to build on their degree education by gaining experience and skills, as well as starting to climb the career ladder.

Through linking internship candidates with those offering such opportunities, the Graduate Talent Pool will enable university leavers to gain "vital experience" and enhance their employability, according to Mr Denham.

Graduates should not simply rely on their education to secure them employment, he added. "A degree is one of the best pathways to achieving a good job and rewarding career," said Mr Denham, but warned that "nobody is immune from the current economic climate".

Government statistics show that the likelihood of people with degrees being unemployed is lower than for those with lower qualifications.

Indeed, the Higher Education Statistics Agency said late last summer that unemployment among recent first-degree graduates continues to decline. Unemployment was lowest among recent graduates in the fields of medicine and dentistry.

Organisations interested in becoming involved with the Talent Pool scheme can join the likes of Microsoft and Network Rail in registering their interest online.

Mr Denham concluded: "I urge those employers who want to benefit from the skills graduates can bring to register their interest and sign-up to the Talent Pool online."

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