Blog » Graduates urged to seize improving opportunities

Graduates urged to seize improving opportunities

26th January 2015

Tough economic conditions, combined with rising levels of competition for jobs, may have resulted in some recent graduates being forced to take on lower-skilled positions that do not require a higher educationbackground.

However, with the graduate job market now improving, Shauna McCloy, Head of Employability at University of Ulster, believes underemployed graduates need to take advantage of the rising number of opportunities.

Shauna explained: “Opportunities are being created on the back of Northern Ireland’s ability to attract recent investment across a range of sectors including information technology, banking and finance, manufacturing, engineering, and research and development. Many of the jobs being created require professional level qualifications providing graduate jobseekers with new opportunities.”

The improving graduate job market is a trend evident across all UK regions. A study of The Graduate Market in 2015 by High Fliers Research indicates that by 2015 recruitment will be at its highest for a decade. The study predicts that leading graduate employers are planning to expand recruitment by 8%, with a quarter of these companies recruiting for opportunities in Northern Ireland.

Shauna continued: “I would encourage smaller Northern Ireland employers to consider the potential of graduates to bring innovation and fresh thinking to their business. For a recent graduate, a career that starts in a small business can be a great move and can make a tangible contribution to that company’s growth.

“Whilst some graduates have had difficulties finding work initially, it does not mean that those graduates are a lost generation.”

A number of Free Graduate Bootcamps are taking place for University of Ulster graduates at the start of February. For more information and to register, visit www.ulster.ac.uk/graduates

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