South: AGR reports graduate recruitment slowing but apprentice hiring up

The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) reports that businesses scaled up their apprenticeship opportunities this year by 24%, but graduate vacancies increased just 2%.

This marks a slowdown for graduate programmes, compared to last year when employers increased their graduate intake by 13%.

The number of internship vacancies has also increased this year by 8%.

The AGR Pulse Survey 2016 gauged the recruitment ambitions of 86 large employers, representing more than 22,000 early-talent vacancies. It showed that engaging with students at a younger age is on the rise, and providing alternative routes into some of the UK’s leading businesses. 

Nevertheless, the survey showed that graduates still make-up the highest volume of early-talent hires. The employers surveyed are looking to fill more than 14,000 graduate positions this year, compared to nearly 5,000 internships and over 3,000 apprenticeships. 

This year apprentice hires represent 1% of AGR members’ workforce on average, compared to around 2% for graduates.

Stephen Isherwood, chief executive of the AGR, said: “Apprentice policy is driving many employers to ramp-up their apprenticeships on a much larger scale than we’d anticipated. We don’t know what the long-term effects will be, but this isn’t a case of employers’ cannibalising their graduate schemes.

“We’re hearing that businesses view the two groups differently and see them as complementary. Employers are engaging earlier and opening their doors to a wider group of people by presenting alternative options.”     

More than half of the 22,000 early-talent vacancies are still to be filled. The three types of roles with most vacancies are IT, law and financial management.   

Isherwood added: “It’s a candidate market at the moment and employers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill roles. We’re seeing nearly one in 10 offers reneged as candidates pull out at the last minute for alternative positions. It’s not too late to apply for an intern, apprentice or graduate scheme, as there are still thousands of roles available.”