Graduates 'may lack skills to be fast-tracked'

Graduates looking into banking jobs should not assume that, just because they possess a degree, they will be automatically fast-tracked towards executive level.

That is according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which has advised that, with competition for banking places, as well as positions in other sectors, steadily increasing, graduates may have to set their sights a little lower for the time being.

As well as the strong competition for jobs, the CIPD's learning and talent development advisor Dr John McGurk has stated that many employers now feel that graduates lack the relevant skills to succeed in the workplace, with most likely to benefit from a period of 'learning the ropes' before climbing their respective career ladders.

"A lot of learning is done by actually doing the basic jobs in an organisation," he explained.

"[This includes] understanding how it works, understanding its finances, its marketing, its approach, strategy, how people do the job on a day to day basis and those critical skills which are linked to customer service skills."

At the same time, the learning and talent development council EDGE has reported an 11 per cent rise in the number of people taking vocational qualifications, including those already working in banks as well as jobseekers.

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