Page 15 - Gi flipbook - October 2018

Students need to work during holidays if they

want to get a job, university regulator says

STUDENTS NEED TO in London, including Students are being
work during their summer Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan encouraged to make the
holidays if they want to get and GlaxoSmithKline, she most of long holidays
a job when they graduate, said: “Many employers
the head of the university are now offering degree
regulator has said. apprenticeships and this is
Nicola Dandridge, Chief important and welcome.
Executive of the Office for “But we also need
Students (OFS), said that more work placement
undergraduates need to opportunities, and more
make the most of their long employers and universities
holidays by undertaking and other higher education
work placements or providers to work together
internships. to offer suitable placements
This will improve their to undergraduates.”
employability and increase Over a fifth (22 per every opportunity available She said that many
the likelihood of securing a cent) of graduates are to them during their time students, especially those
“rewarding” job once they unemployed six months at university to help to who don’t have “the right
graduate, says a report in after they complete their improve their employability networks” fail to secure
The Telegraph. degrees, according to data and to get a rewarding job. work placements and or
Ms Dandridge urged the from the Higher Education “As employers, we holiday internships while
country’s leading graduate Statistics Agency. Even at all have a responsibility they are studying.
recruiters to “redouble” three and a half years, 15 to increase equality of “This means they are
their efforts to boost per cent of graduates are opportunity and working more likely to face a
“equality and diversity” of not employed in highly with higher education cycle of internships – too
their student intakes. skilled jobs. providers we must redouble often unpaid – after they
Addressing delegates Ms Dandridge went our efforts to improve graduate before they are
at the National Graduate on: “Research shows that equality and diversity in able to get lasting graduate
Recruitment Conference graduates need to take up recruitment.” employment,” she said. ■

Apprentices swell the ranks of North Sea oil and gas

A BUMPER CROP of more scheme in 2016. The latest intake
than 100 new apprentices Ogtap was launched 20 is a positive sign
are swelling the ranks of years ago, with the aim for the sector
the North Sea oil and gas of finding new blood for
workforce. an ageing workforce in an
They are part of the biggest industry often perceived as
intake an industry-wide having an image problem in
scheme has seen since oil attracting school leavers,
prices crashed in late 2014. reports Energy Voice.
Their recruitment and the Managed by industry
number of young people skills body Opito and the
involved have been hailed Engineering Construction opportunities for a fulfilling needed for a rewarding
as a major boost for the Industry Training Board, career”. career in oil and gas.
sector as it continues to the scheme has brought in Deirdre Michie, Chief “I’m extremely delighted
recover from the most nearly 2,000 young people Executive of industry body to see so many young
severe and prolonged since it was set up in 1998. Oil and Gas UK (OGUK), people preparing to join
downturn in its history. Paul Atkinson, Chief said: “The Oil and Gas the industry in this year’s
A total of 105 students are Executive of the Offshore Technical Apprentice intake.”
joining the industry through Contractors Association and Programme is recognised as But she also warned the
the Oil and Gas Technical a member of the steering one of the most successful industry still had some
Apprentice Programme group which oversees apprentice schemes of way to go in OGUK’s
(Ogtap), up from 74 a year Ogtap, said the latest its kind, providing young mission to boost workforce
ago and nearly double the intake was a “positive sign” people with the theoretical diversity by attracting more
number who joined the for a sector with “exciting and practical experience young women. ■

15

News.indd 10 20/09/2018 12:15