Graduates 4 Business
This project was launched in November 2006 and ran until 2010. Its core aim was to increase the number & effectiveness of graduates employed in South West England.
A long history of 'working with business' programmes in the South West have clearly demonstrated the benefits graduates can bring to businesses and the region by increasing productivity and the rate of innovation. These programmes also improve the employability and effectiveness of the students and graduates participating.
The changing South West economy requires an increasing number of graduates, and it is important to stem the flow of graduates away from the region. This project sought to provide a vehicle for HE to work with stakeholders to meet these objectives, and promote the South West as an excellent place for graduate employment.
The core principle of 'Graduates for Business' was to increase the uptake and impact of 'working with business' programmes to enable more businesses to appreciate the benefits of graduate level staff, and allow more graduates to enhance their experience of graduate level work and their employability skills. The project incorporated several areas of activity.
'Working with Business' Placement Programmes
Extend and promote the activity within graduate and student placement programmes. Develop new or enhance existing programmes, using best practice and building on existing successes.
Mentoring and Advice
Students and graduates having, or likely to have, difficulty in the job market were provided with training and mentoring to help them identify strengths and weaknesses, and encourage them to undertake an appropriate 'working with business' programme. This included ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups.
Events and Seminars
Events for students/graduates to promote placement programmes and entrepreneurial initiatives. Seminars for businesses to promote and explain the opportunities that using students or graduates can bring.
Placement Support
Provision for increased HE support for students and graduates.
Support for Businesses
Employer Liaison Officers worked with businesses to promote and support student/graduate placement activity, and employment opportunities.
Linking with existing provision
The project co-ordinated work with stakeholders, other projects and services across the region to develop a strategic approach to graduate utilisation.
Key achievements of the project:
- Placements = over 700
- Business collaborations = over 600
- People assisted to get a job = over 2,350
- Vacancies identified = over 8,000
- Students & graduates registered on gradsouthwest.com = over 30,000
- Significant improvement in relations between careers and business relations.
- The project oversaw a radical redevelopment of the GradSW site and offering, aimed at improving its sustainability through adding value to graduates and employers in the region.
- The GradSW site is now being utilised successfully as the main gateway for the HEFCE/FSB internship programme in the South West.
Gradsouthwest
Gradsouthwest.com has already had considerable success in recruiting and filling graduate vacancies across the South West. This project will build on this, linking Gradsouthwest to the wider objectives of the Graduates for Business project, and further developing and promoting the services offered through Gradsouthwest by:
- Recruitment and employment
- Searchable employer directory
- Automated vacancy messaging
- Contact management database of individuals and organisations
- Recruitment advice and links for employers
- Profiles of successful SW employers and graduates
- E-guidance
- Improving the job-alerts system
CPD
- Advertising CPD courses and events
- Direct emailing of CPD opportunities to graduates, and on-line registration
- Searchable database of CPD programmes and services
- Advice for businesses on CPD opportunities and their target audience
- Links to other CPD databases covering FE provision
Graduates in Employment and Business
- Sector based technology updates
- Good practice case studies
- Promotion of HE knowledge transfer services and opportunities, showcased on universitiessouthwest/business.ac.uk website