This is the message from Stephanie Bird, a board member of European Association of People Management. Stephanie has said that it is more effective to build now with graduates rather than pay for it later on.

The point Stephanie is making is a very valid one, in that if your company strategy has always been taking on graduates, then you will have a constant stream of progressing staff, that build up knowledge and skills over the years. Stopping this conveyer belt as such will only create a gap in your staffing structure and so your cost effective solution in the short term could be an expensive problem in the long term by paying for staff to fill that gap of experience and knowledge.

Graduates play a key part in growing an economy, they have spent years training themselves mentally for the job market and to actually prevent them from entering the job market penalises the economy. I believe these are the kind of workers which will have the most energy and drive to bring the UK out of the recession and I hope that companies listen to Stephanie Bird and continue to take on graduates.

For more information in this area you should speak to Graduate Recruitment Agencies, these are the consultants that will have a good understanding of the graduate market.