The engineering sector has experienced a 40% decline in graduate job vacancies in 2009, despite anticipating growth last winter.
The latest Association of Graduate Recruiter’s (AGR) survey reveals that engineering and construction are among the hardest hit sectors, with vacancies plunging by two-fifths in one year. The percentage of vacancies contributed by engineering companies has dropped from 10.1% to 7.5% in just months.
Graduate vacancies in transport and logistics are down 12.4% in one year, compared with an overall average decline of 24.9% – the worst figures since the last recession in 1991.
However, the survey reports that the economic downturn has ‘all but eradicated’ the problem of recruitment shortfall, with 91.9% of respondents expecting all their 2009 vacancies to be filled by the close of the season. Participating organisations included Atkins, Amey, Arup, Costain, Halcrow, Jacobs, Mouchel, Scott Wilson, Skanska UK, and Transport for London.
Starting salaries in transport and construction remain frozen, while engineering saw a 2.2% increase. Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said: ‘I wish we had better news to announce today but we cannot hide from the fact that dramatic vacancy cuts will make the job search very tough for graduates both this year and probably next year too.
‘One small consolation is that paid graduate internships have been relatively unaffected by the downturn and most employers are offering at least 10 placements. The Government’s new internships scheme, while not a panacea, will also help many graduates this autumn.’
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