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

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

3. 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

4. GJS: a university partnership
GJS Management Board
GJS Operations Group

5. 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

6. 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

8. Business Bridge Northwest
UK Graduate Retention initiatives
Graduates for Growth
Business Bridge Northwest
Graduates Yorkshire
Graduate Advantage
Grad Central
Hot Prospects
Grad Ireland
gradireland.com
Gradseast
Go Wales
Gradsouthwest
Graduate Jobs South

9. 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.

10. 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

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

13. Candidates registered by year of graduation

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

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

17. 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

18. 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’

19. 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

20. 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

21. Questions