Manchester graduates second most-targeted by recruiters

Manchester graduates are the second-most target group of students in the country, recently published research has indicated.

High Fliers Research found that graduates from the University of Nottingham and University of Manchester were targeted ahead of Oxford and Cambridge students at campus fairs, recruitment fairs and other promotion events. Top employers include large firms such as Google and Goldman Sachs.

A representative from the Career’s Service, Tammy Goldfield, said, “We are obviously very pleased our students are highly targeted by leading graduate recruiters and encouraged by the ongoing recovery of the graduate jobs market.”

The Times’ Good University Guide ranks Manchester as being the 25^th   best university in the country, with Oxford and Cambridge ranking 1^st and 2^nd respectively.

Goldfield added, “Last academic year we saw an increase of seven per cent in vacancies advertised and our recruitment fairs were fully booked by employers.”

The report concludes that the “UK’s leading employers expect to recruit significantly more graduates in 2014,”  with the number of  entry-level vacancies set to increase by 8.7 per cent.  The largest growth is expected in public sector employers, accounting firms, investment banks, retailers and engineering and industrial companies.

The largest recruiters this year will be Teach First, PwC and Deloitte with over one thousand vacancies each.

Employers also have increased work experience placements for undergraduate students. Many graduate level positions are filled by students who have already had experience of working with the organisation.