#graduate-recruitment

#graduate-recruitment

Job vacancies in Britain have fallen to their lowest level in five years, with graduate recruitment bearing the brunt as employers contend with higher payroll costs and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. Data from Adzuna show that advertised vacancies dropped to 694,940 in January, down 16 per cent year-on-year and 3 per cent compared with December. It is the first time since January 2021 that the number of vacancies has dipped below 700,000.

Employers are rebalancing entry-level recruitment to meet skills demands, reducing graduate vacancies while increasing investment in apprenticeship roles, reports Institute of Student Employers (ISE). The Student Recruitment Survey 2025 of ISE members - large employers offering formal graduate and apprenticeship programmes - found that graduate hiring had fallen by 8% year-on-year, yet apprentice hiring increased by 8%. Graduates still outnumber apprentices and therefore the overall entry-level job market is down 5%.