GJS: The newest regional retention initiative and the national context Tuesday 8th September, 2009 Meredith Smith Project Manager, Graduate Jobs South

Presentation overview GJS UK graduate retention initiatives Candidates Employers 2009 focus and future

What GJS does increasing the retention of graduates within the region by employing them with businesses helping partner universities to find their graduates ‘graduate level’ jobs and their students work placements improving the capacity of businesses to compete in the economy by employing graduates promoting partner universities to regional employers raising awareness of the graduate level roles in the South promoting the region as a place to live and work

GJS: a university partnership GJS Management Board GJS Operations Group

History of GJS 2006 SEEDA funds Southampton City Council, Southampton Solent University and the University of Southampton write a bid to improve the retention of graduates in the region to SMEs for 2 years 2007 April GJS website launched ‘Graduate Jobs Southampton’ 2008 ‘Graduate Jobs South’ formed April onwards funded by the universities of Solent, Southampton and Winchester 2009 Management Board and Operations Group formed funding agreed for another year

How does GJS work? employers promote their company and opportunities candidates register on the website candidates apply direct to employer employer handles recruitment process time and money saved by employer graduate skills retained in the region

Business Bridge Northwest UK Graduate Retention initiatives Graduates for Growth www.graduateforgrowth.co.uk Business Bridge Northwest www.business-bridge.org.uk Graduates Yorkshire www.graduatesyorkshire.co.uk Graduate Advantage www.graduateadvantage.co.uk Grad Central www.grad-central.co.uk Hot Prospects www.hotprospects.org.uk Grad Ireland gradireland.com Gradseast www.gradseast.org.uk Go Wales www.gowales.co.uk Gradsouthwest www.gradsouthwest.com Graduate Jobs South www.graduatejobsouth.co.uk

Working with regional businesses focus on businesses and opportunities from Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Dorset establish relationships with businesses, e.g. SMEs who have never worked with universities before one stop shop obtain feedback for around 50% of the roles advertised collect information about local labour market intelligence.

Benefits to businesses reduce advertising outgoings manage their own recruitment campaign enhance and increase their brand recruit highly skilled individuals to help sustain and grow their business

Who are our candidates & how do we market GJS to them? graduates postgraduates HE students ‘returners’ to the region job changers redundant graduates.

Candidates registered by year of graduation

Opportunities advertised by GJS (over 2,000 advertised since April 2007)

Obtaining feedback employer is sent an automated email shortly after the opportunity closes request feedback about the GJS service and candidates record whether candidates are shortlisted, interviewed or hired reminder email sent 2 weeks later student employed to chase for feedback details on poor applications etc are fed back to careers services and course tutors

Feedback from employers “Historically the toughest part of the recruitment process is gaining access to a large pool of candidates in the right geographical area. GJS gave us a direct link to these people.” Mansell Recruitment “GJS enabled us to advertise our job to a distinct market for a specific role. From receiving the CV to employing our team member took two weeks and we were able to dispense with the usual hassle of sorting through reams of CV's” The WoW Company

Riding the recession 100 opportunities at any one time increase in placements; advertising, marketing, IT and web design. working harder to contact companies and encouraging them to use GJS to advertise their vacancies working with regional businesses to develop internships, work experience and placements 28 Sept 2009 graduate event ‘Steps to Success’

Additional services Developing additional services for candidates from partner universities Contact after registration Application advice Interview preparation Assistance until employment or experience found Working with key course groups e.g. Humanities / Arts - DLHE Developing chargeable employer recruitment services Working with SMEs to develop internships for graduates

Focus for 2009 / 10 increase jobs, placement and internship opportunities more jobs advertised target and work with more regional SME businesses increase the number of graduates remaining in the region after graduation develop sustainability plans

Questions