Only the best will do Giving SMEs access to the recruitment and selection techniques (and the graduates) normally reserved for large corporates Martin Edmondson – Gradcore Clara Wilcox – Graduate Advantage Steve Fish – University of Sheffield

It’s a hard life for large graduate recruiters

It’s a REALLY hard life for SME graduate recruiters

We’ve been thinking about this for a while…

A unique perspective

We’ve developed some core ideas Gradcore, through our graduate recruitment and employability work, have been trying to understand and increase the impact of graduates on economic growth for the last decade. In doing so we have come to develop 5 key principles: 1.Graduate utilisation trumps graduate retention 2.The disconnect between graduates and SMEs is two-way 3.Graduate underemployment compromises productivity 4.Graduates, appropriately used, create innovation and growth in businesses and economies 5.Graduate recruitment processes should be designed to simultaneously develop employability

Parallel context Alongside this there have been a number of relevant macro-economic developments: Massification and (emerging) marketisation of Higher Education, with growing emphasis on employability Shift from regional to local (and especially city-based) economic development Growth in volume of SMEs, many of whom are disinclined to recruit graduates Recessionary climate making businesses reluctant to hire Significant evolution of the graduate talent attraction and selection models deployed by large organisations

Typical SME challenges IssueSolutionsBarriers Scepticism about the value of graduates Peer information, university promotion… Networks, knowledge Generating applications from the best graduates Graduate job boards, Uni careers services, SM… Time, cost, expertise, networks, brand High quality recruitment practice Competency frameworks, succession planning, talent pipelines, interview structures… Time, cost, expertise Identifying the right graduate(s) Video interviewing, assessment centres, psychometrics… Time, cost Developing the graduate once in post Mentoring, training and dev plans, … Time, expertise Retaining graduates for 2yrs plus Performance management framework, development, peer networks, growth… Time, cost

Bringing it all together

How could you turn a city into a graduate scheme?

Our Process Cohort of roles sourced Cohort of graduates attracted and selected Graduates and business leaders developed and mentored together Businesses and graduates become ambassadors

Benefits for all City Reduced un/underemployment Increased business connectivity Economic growth and inward investment Opening up of jobs vacated by underemployed graduates SMEs Business growth Access to high quality recruitment and selection practice via economies of scale Increased innovation New networks and management development Graduates Access to graduate level jobs Employability development throughout the process Growth of networks Improved work-readiness Universities Graduates placed into graduate level jobs Business engagement Improved DLHE performance City Graduate Scheme

Case study: Sheffield

The Vision Create a situation where Sheffield businesses value and employ graduate talent to support future growth Create a business culture in the city where employing a graduate is the norm not the exception Capitalise on the presence of two Universities, who are leaders in producing employable, enterprising, and work ready graduates

RISE internship pilot Pilot - 30 RISE internships during summer 2013, and 20 further in the winter Partnership of key players in the city SMEs < 250 employees Don’t routinely recruit graduates or are looking to recruit graduates in different ways High quality, professional support to attract, recruit, train and keep graduates 1500 graduate applicants so far Use of current graduate scheme selection techniques, such as video interviewing and assessment centres Development outside of work: Business induction, JCI membership, IoD, Chamber, SCRLEP

Case Study: Birmingham

Resource need for smaller businesses Brain Drain: Trend for skills to go to London or Manchester Build a stronger link between SMEs and Universities Recruit and Retention: lower volume but quality requirements are just as high! Collaboration: West Midland Universities Not for profit recruitment services Employer and Graduate focus Graduate Advantage: Who?

Represent SMEs to West Midlands graduates West Midlands graduates to SMEs Work as your Recruitment Department Large company approach for the smaller business Cost and time saving Graduate Advantage: How?

Launched in 2006 Multi-business, Birmingham based graduate scheme Smaller businesses, third sector and blue chip Collaboration is the key Case Study: Graduate Apprentice

Any questions?

Discussion groups How can universities leverage graduate recruitment practices for SMEs? What role could the government play in better connecting graduates and SMEs? How might initiatives like the ones case studied today work in your city/area/region? What role could industry groups play in this debate?