Employers: Graduates not ready for work

News Article - 05 January 2007
Category: Business

The majority of employers believe that graduates in the finance and accounting sectors are not ready for work because of a lack of skills.

Some 70 per cent of respondents to a study conducted by Robert Half Finance & Accounting thought graduates were lacking in expertise, reports Pass Magazine.

Among the skills found to most deficient was the ability to communicate properly, office etiquette, basic literacy, numeracy and spelling, and a lack of industry knowledge.

David Jones, managing director of Robert Half, said: "Finance workers are alarmed by the lack of necessary skills graduates are equipped with.

"We highly recommend that employers adopt a structured training scheme to help new graduates settle into their role."

Mr Jones suggested that accountancy students get plenty of office experience before applying for positions as this is likely to make them more desirable to employers as well as smoothing the transition from student to working life.

Last year, the company produced a report entitled The War for Talent, which highlighted the challenges currently faced by businesses attempting to retain ability in the sector.

Article keywords: graduates, employment

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