Graduates looking to carve out acareer in ITby starting out on a
graduate training scheme are more likely to start out in London
than any other region. Figures from online recruitment site the IT
Job Board reveal that around half of all graduate openings are
based in London. That's an even greater proportion of roles than
the IT market as a whole, where London accounts for a third of all
IT jobs, according to research firmSalary Services
Limited.
David Bevan, a director with one of the UK's largest IT staffing
companies, the InterQuest Group, confirms, "Graduates tend to
establish themselves in a career in London and then
take their skills out to the regions. It's far less common for
a graduate, once established in a career in IT in the regions, to
move into London."
The London-centric nature of graduate opportunities particularly
applies to industries such as banking and finance which have always
grouped together in the heart of the City, says Bevan. In general,
graduate opportunities are found in large corporates which are
often headquartered in London, and a significant proportion of IT
roles are normally based at the Head Office. "However, industries
such as retail have a more regional focus," says Bevan, "and more
and more companies are now leaving London and relocating to other
cities where property prices are lower. Increasingly, we are seeing
a wider distribution of opportunities, though this will not
undermine London's dominance of the graduate market just yet."
Maggie Berry, director of
womenintechnology.co.uk, an online career networking and job
portal for women in IT which operates a specific area for
graduates, confirms that "while people automatically associate
large companies headquarters with London, many organisations have
realised over the last decade that there is
no need to pay London salaries or London rents for roles that
could be done just as effectively in other parts of the country."
She says that a quick look at womenintechnology's graduate jobs
page throws up positions in Peterborough, Manchester, Newcastle,
Reading Leicester and Edinburgh with a world leading management
consultancy, openings at a financial services organisation in
Sussex, roles in a major investment banking group in Derby and
Glasgow, and multiple opportunities with the one of the biggest
global names in technology in Ireland.
Even so, London still exerts a strong pull on graduates. Sam
Baxendale, manager of the City branch of recruitment consultancy
Computer People, which is based near Bank, says a key attraction of
graduate schemes in London is that they often pay considerably
higher headline starting salaries than graduate roles elsewhere,
even in other parts of the South East. "I've recently placed a new
graduate with a masters degree in a role with a salary of £30,000
plus a potential bonus of one hundred per cent of salary," he says.
"In general, graduate schemes in London pay half as much again as
similar schemes in outer London and the South East, in part due to
the influence of the financial sector in the City."
However, Baxendale warns, "When the cost of living and transport
are taken into account, graduates outside London are effectively
getting the same money, with a better quality of life. But people
want to work in London because of the buzz, because they think
they'll have better access to a broader range of opportunities
through networking with more people."
Bevan agrees there's a perception that there are more chances to
build a career in London, "People tend to move between jobs more
frequently in London, so openings arise on a more regular basis.
The flip side is a higher level of competition for jobs, and
greater pressure to perform once in them. For a multitude of
reasons, graduates tend to flock to the capital so it is often true
that graduates will be competing against people their own age with
similar skills and experience," he says.
Graduates choosing the capital will also have to deal with the
pressures and stresses of London living. "Hours tend to be longer,
the pace of work faster, and wages are always competing against the
rising costs of living," Bevan admits. "With more distractions and
higher living costs, graduates may take longer to pay off their
student loans - and finding a foothold in the property market is
going to be tough. On the other hand, culturally you've much to
choose from, and London is celebrated for having character and
atmosphere. London also has an
excellent transport
infrastructure both within the capital and to other places
nationally and internationally."
Womenintechnology's Berry agrees that London does have a lot to
offer, particularly in terms of entertainment and night life.
However, she warns, "once you enter the world of work, your days of
clubbing until four in the morning and staying in bed until
lunchtime will be relegated to the weekend."
Location is also just one element to take into account when
choosing a graduate scheme. Bevan says that, irrespective of where
the job is based, graduates must be sure an prospective employer
ticks two boxes. "It needs to provide good training and support,
while also offering real experience in the market they're
passionate about," he argues. Berry agrees, "Graduates should start
with the company and the role, rather than the location it pays to
keep your options open. In our experience, the vast majority of
graduates are characterised by their mobility and willingness to
live in the region where they receive the best job offer."