Employment boost

Engineering firms are bucking the recruitment trend by increasing the number of graduate vacancies, according to an Association of Graduate Recruiters' (

) survey released last week.

The survey, which received responses from 245 graduate recruiters, concluded that an 8.3 per cent rise in jobs within the engineering and public sectors was likely. The survey also indicated that there would be a 5.4 per cent decrease in total graduate vacancies this year, with the financial sector taking the largest hit.

Chief executive of AGR, Carl Gilleard, said that the increase in the engineering recruitment followed a trend by businesses to invest in the future. He added: ‘Businesses are looking beyond the immediate economic challenges facing the country. Looking at previous recessions, companies have ended up having large holes in their workforce so they are continuing to recruit.

‘I think that employers see recruiting graduate engineers as an investment in the medium and long term. It is about being risk adverse as they don't want to invest in someone who will leave in two years' time.’

Head of Cranfield University's School of Engineering, Minoo Patel, said: ‘This is encouraging news for the industry and our graduates. A very high proportion of the school's graduates find well-paid jobs before or soon after graduating.’