Thousands of university students from across the West Midlands are planning to leave the region for good now they have graduated, taking their degree level skills to the nation’s capital and abroad in pursuit of better career prospects. This is leaving businesses short of the talent they need to grow.

A survey by graduate recruitment specialists Grad Central has revealed that only one fifth (21%) of undergraduates attending the region’s universities intend to start their career in the West Midlands when they finish their degree course. The most popular destination is London and the south, accounting for more than a half (52%), with a third (33%) moving overseas.

Lucy Dinsdale, Project Manager for Grad Central, said: “It’s not surprising amongst all the doom and gloom that graduates are thinking about moving out of the West Midlands to start their careers, especially with the latest stats highlighting our region has the highest unemployment rate in England.

“However, it is also extremely worrying, as it is essential for the region’s economic prosperity that we keep graduate talent and their skills here. Without them, we will be left with a major skills shortage as we fight to get out of this recession.

“What we really need to do now is start talking up the opportunities that are available. At Grad Central for example, we are working closely with businesses across the West Midlands to encourage them to take on graduate talent. The good news is the response has been excellent, particularly with small-to-medium sized enterprises. Since our service was launched earlier this year, we have placed around six graduates per week into full-time employment and we currently have 115 vacancies for graduates available.”

Grad Central, which is funded by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands (AWM), is specifically designed at growing the number of graduate jobs in the West Midlands. Along with an experienced team of recruiters to help businesses and graduates throughout the process, one of Grad Central’s key benefits is it is fully funded, meaning businesses can take on graduates with no recruitment fees.

One business that is fighting the recession head-on is Staffordshire-based Tri-Tech Engineering. The company, which only launched last year and specialises in installing, maintaining and servicing 3-D printers that are vital for research and development, has recently taken on Nick Jones as a graduate engineer.

Paul Webber, MD of Tri-Tech, said: “The manufacturing and engineering industries are just two of a number of market sectors across the West Midlands that have come under severe scrutiny in the current climate. Despite this, we decided the best approach was to tackle the recession head-on.

“Engineers can often command high wages and not necessarily be up to the task. Therefore, we decided to look at bringing fresh blood into our company that we could help train. Nick has already brought new ideas, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective to our business, helping us drive things forward. To compliment this, he is also up-to-date with the latest computer-aided design skills, which has recently helped us win a new contract with a local company that produces bespoke furniture for the rich and famous.”

The survey was carried out on campus with over 1000 undergraduates at Birmingham City University, University of Warwick, University of Worcester, Keele University, Wolverhampton University, Staffordshire University, Coventry University and Harpers Adams University.

It also revealed the main drivers for people moving out of the region, with 36% citing lifestyle choice as their main reason for leaving and 35% stating it was because of better job prospects.

Lucy added: “These survey results highlight a serious misconception amongst students about what the West Midlands can offer them once they have completed their studies. It is a fantastic place to live and work, whether you are looking for the highlife of city living in Birmingham, the peacefulness of outlaying towns like Leamington Spa or the rural settings of Shropshire, and with many business sectors across the region continuing to grow, the West Midlands has it all.”

For more information and to register your details, whether you are a business in the West Midlands or a graduate looking for a job, visit grad-central.co.uk.