AGR manifesto sets out ‘practical recommendations’ for graduate recruitment

With the general election fast approaching, the Association of Graduate Recruiters has launched its new manifesto for graduate recruitment - and the clarion call is "quality, not quantity."

Entitled ‘Talent, Opportunity, Prosperity', the manifesto sets out a series of recommendations for the future of UK higher education and the role that employers should play in this.

Notably, it calls on the next government to scrap the present 50% target for participation in higher education, while urging all political parties to support a phased removal of the cap on top-up tuition fees by 2020.

On the employability front, the manifesto's recommendations include the embedding of employability skills into all degree courses, the introduction of the Higher Education Achievement Report alongside the degree classification, and more high-quality work experience for students, both before and during their time at university.

On the financial side, the manifesto calls for a national savings scheme to help families prepare for the cost of higher education, and also for tax-breaks for employers taking on graduates who are entering the workplace for the first time.

Other ‘practical recommendations' include better guidance and greater support for careers services, and a streamlined visa process for employers recruiting international graduates.

The Association said the measures it recommended were "vital to raise standards and improve the student experience", and would also compel institutions to be "more transparent about the value of their degree courses."  (Among other things, its manifesto claims that the introduction of an "artificial" target to get 50% of under-30s into higher education has "driven down standards and devalued the currency of a degree.")

AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard said "These proposals reflect the views of 750 major employers which collectively recruit around 30,000 graduates a year in the UK.  In our opinion, there has never been a greater need for government, employers and universities to build a shared vision for higher education.  I do not believe it is overstating the case to say that the UK's prosperity and productivity are depending on it.

"The AGR was founded in 1968, when there were only 250,000 university students in the UK.  Today that figure is more than 2.3m, and the landscape of higher education has changed beyond recognition.  An independent review of higher education and student finance is under way, the Burgess Review has declared the degree classification unfit for purpose, and too many young people are left to graduate without vital employability skills.  We urge all political parties to consider the practical recommendations in our manifesto; adopting them would have huge benefits for the economy and help to reaffirm the value of a degree.

"We know that some of these calls to action - particularly those which relate to funding and finance - are unlikely to receive a universal welcome.  After careful consideration, however, we have concluded that this package of measures is the best way to drive up standards in higher education, provide a better return on investment for students and parents, and ensure the UK remains competitive in a global knowledge economy."