But number of qualified young people up by 200,000 since 2007
Around one in seven employers (16 per cent) were unable to fill all their entry-level vacancies in the last three years, despite a greater number of young people gaining qualifications since the recession, a report has revealed.
While candidates first entering the labour market are reportedly more qualified, 43 per cent of employers with unfilled entry-level vacancies said too few applicants had sufficient ‘employability’ skills such as literacy, numeracy, teamwork and self-management, as well as a general positive and proactive approach to work.
The report, UK labour market insights – the entry-level dilemma published by totaljobs.com in partnership with IPPR, suggests that there is a “serious mismatch” between the skills held by entry-level candidates and those demanded by employers.
Spencer Thompson, senior economic analyst at IPPR, said an over-emphasis on recruiting students straight from university means employers miss out on a whole pool of entry-level talent, which he called “the forgotten 50 per cent”.
However, Stephen Isherwood, chief executive of Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), said employers shouldn’t be discouraged from investing in degree-holders, and in fact 54 per cent of graduate recruiters are also active in schools.
“There are plenty of jobs and plenty of qualified young people, but the relevant skills and employability are lacking,” he said at the launch of the report.
He suggested the UK needed to find a balance between “the flexibility that our labour market allows” and the EU model of elongated education and rigid careers training.
“Too much choice creates ambiguity and young people are confused or uncertain which route to take,” he said.
A panel of experts at the report’s launch event suggested that boosting careers advice in schools and targeting students long before university would help prepare young people for the labour market.
Speaker Neil Armstrong, talent manager at Boots UK, said: “We have no trouble recruiting entry-level workers to our head offices, but the industry, retail, is still seen as not a ‘sexy’ career option and so we face challenges getting young people into the stores, in customer facing roles.”
Boots is trying to remedy this situation with ‘Work Inspiration Programmes’, where 14 to 19 year olds are invited into the stores and matched to an area of the business they’re most interested in.
The report said that the hospitality and leisure industry has the most widespread difficulties with entry-level recruitment. More than one in five employers in the sector report issues.
Ema Tukiran, HR manager at The Cavendish Hotel, said she had also changed her approach to encourage more first jobbers by rephrasing interview questions. She explained: “We don’t ask how a candidate has demonstrated teamwork in a previous role, but at school.”
Anouska Ramsay, head of talent at Capgemini, said the employer has shifted from finding talent based on qualifications to investing in strengths-based recruitment.
“We have to change the mindset and find new ways of spotting talent other than a 45-minute interview and CV check,” she said.
“There are a number of things employers can do to help entry-level candidates, such as providing more opportunities for candidates to learn about what is expected of them in the workplace. Paid work experience placements to those still in education, and more investment in on-the-job training and apprenticeships are a great place to start. Recruiters can also help by simplifying their application processes, with a clear selection criteria and constructive feedback for unsuccessful candidates,” James Frearson, totaljobs.com said.