Latest Research Indicates Graduates Rank Training and Development Above Salary

Recent college graduates report that they value training and development over salary according to the latest research by Ernst & Young. In conducting a poll of 600 respondents, results showed that 41% of graduates value training as a priority when looking at potential employers, whereas in 2007 the top priority was salary.

Graduates  are now more interested in long-term career development and are seeking companies that will invest in employee training and development. The head of graduate recruitment at Ernst and Young states, “The poll raises interesting questions around the expectations of the post-recession class of 2011 versus those of 2007, who were graduating into an uncertain future. Despite the burden of university debts, today’s graduates still see their first job as a prime opportunity to gain qualifications and skills which can benefit them long into the future.”

Employers and recruiters looking to attract the post college workforce should focus employment branding campaigns on the experience of the available jobs, including the totality of development and long term opportunities.