Is the law going to end graduate recruitment schemes

However, these changes, on face value, may appear to have worrying implications of the tradition which is the graduate recruitment scheme as operated by many of Britain's top graduate employers. If an employer clearly sets out to recruit a first time graduate straight out of University, by definition it would appear to be aiming solely for people in their early twenties. Likewise, the 'Milkround' which involves companies visiting Universities to try and capture the cream of final year students could also be deemed to be recruiting against this new law.

Even the marketing for such schemes usually involves 'exclusively' the images of young people who have traditionally been recruited for these schemes.

The 'workaround' to this problem is said to be to make these schemes available to graduates of all ages. A government spokesman has said that as long as literature makes inferences that applications will not be excluded due to age. This doesn't sound too clear and is a little akin to the disclaimer on the bottom of mortgage advert which is so small you can't read it. Looking at this form the employers perspective, they are investing heavily in new graduates with the hope that they may recoup this from a lengthy period of successful employment, something perhaps not available from a candidate completing a degree late in their career?

In this case I do feel only time will tell. It's around now (autumn 2007) that graduate recruitment firms will be implementing their campaigns for those graduating this summer. It may take a few test cases to establish exactly how the law will deal with issues in this new area. Beyond the first round of cases, it is likely that many recruiters will have to review their strategy for the future recruitment for graduate jobs.