I am writing to encourage businesses and graduates to consider participating in the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) Graduate Scheme.
The rationale behind the scheme is simple: businesses within our ten local authority areas have been struggling to recruit and retain talented staff whilst many of our highly skilled graduates are leaving the region – feeding the so-called ‘brain drain’. The CCR Graduate Scheme aims to address these challenges by offering businesses a range of free services to incentivise additional graduate recruitment in South East Wales and therefore bridge the gap between the needs of employers and graduate labour supply.
Such services include help defining graduate roles, assisting businesses in the selection process and region-wide marketing of positions in partnership with the four Higher Education institutions operating in the region – the University of South Wales, Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Open University in Wales.
By linking talented graduates with ambitious businesses, the scheme aims to build on the region’s strong academic presence while selling the Cardiff Capital Region as a destination for talented graduates. Moreover, increasing the amount of highly skilled people in the workforce will help to deliver enhanced innovation, productivity and economic growth in the private sector across a growing spectrum of business types.
Those participating on the scheme will be able to kick-start their careers with paid graduate-level employment, a fully funded qualification and a range of networking opportunities.
While over seventy businesses and three hundred graduates have engaged with the scheme so far, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands of businesses across the region, many of which have reported barriers that are holding back recruitment such as time constraints and difficultly reaching graduates. The CCR Graduate Scheme is in a strong position to assist with such challenges.
I would encourage any businesses or graduates that are interested in the scheme to visit our website – https://www.ccrgraduatescheme.wales/ or contact Geraldine O’Sullivan – [email protected]
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Debbie Wilcox
Cardiff Capital Region Cabinet Member for Skills
