Volvo and the Cabinet Office have
broken into the top 10 most preferred employers for UK graduates and the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office has supplanted the BBC as the most desirable
place to work.
The Cabinet Office, which
ranked eighth, is one of three government bodies in the top 20 of the Universum
Graduate Survey 2001.
Liz Chennells, head of
personnel at the Cabinet Office, claims that a challenging work environment is
a key reason the department being so popular. She said, "We offer
interesting jobs where people know they will make a real difference, along with
the excitement of being at the centre of government."
The survey also shows
Swedish firm Volvo, the only overseas company in the top 10, becoming the
seventh most desirable place to work.
But Volvo does not run
a graduate scheme and has a relatively low graduate intake.
Volvo’s UK HR manager
Tom Russell believes graduates are attracted to the company because of its
uniquely identifiable brand. "We have large and challenging roles, and the
benefits package obviously includes the opportunity to drive the product,"
he said.
The rise of the
Foreign Office to the top spot reflects graduates’ desire to travel when
selecting careers. The survey reveals that nearly half of respondents hope to
work overseas within three years of graduating.
IBM is the highest
climbing company, moving up 14 places to 11th position. Universum questioned
nearly 6,000 final-year students across 43 UK universities.
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