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Fifty-seven per cent of financial services players say their firms are reducing graduate recruitment by half or more compared with last year, according to a survey carried out by the SII.
A further 14 per cent of industry players who took part in the survey, conducted on the SII website, said the number of graduates being taken on by their firms is slightly down. But the survey showed that, despite the sector tightening its belt due to the continuing difficult market conditions, it is not all gloomy for graduates’ job prospects.
Eighteen per cent of respondents said the level of recruitment is unchanged and 11 per cent said their companies are hiring more graduates. Of those, eight per cent said recruitment is slightly up and three per cent said it is increasing by 50 per cent or more.
SII chief executive Simon Culhane FSI said: "This useful survey reflects what we are seeing in our advance graduate bookings, which we estimate are at 50 per cent of last year's level. Many firms realise that graduate recruitment is a long-term investment and are keen to find talented individuals, even in more straightened times, which is why only a few firms are completely stopping their recruitment."
To take part in the latest SII online survey, visit www.sii.org.uk
