Three hundred students took part in this year’s Sheffield Hallam University Built Environment careers fair.
The day is an opportunity for employers to talk to students about their expectations of people who are about to embark on a career in property.
With the country officially out of recession, employers are beginning to position themselves for the upturn. More than 20 firms set up stands at this year’s careers event.
However, the jobs market is still tough for graduating students. One in five property companies have decided not to take on any graduates, and just 15% say they plan to take on more graduates this year, compared with 27% last year.
Cushman & Wakefield’s Stephen Hartley was on the employer’s discussion panel at this year’s fair. He qualified in 2009 at the bottom of the market and has since found a job with C&W.
“There were 100 people going for just one place at the time, and in my year there were only initially three people taken on of around 2000 applying. I would think today, it’s almost as difficult with the backlog of graduates coming through from 2009, 2010, and 2011.”
nathan.cross@estatesgazette.com
