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ApprenticeshipsEarly careersLatest NewsGraduates

Early careers failing as 30% of recruits leave within three years

by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 14 Nov 2024
by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 14 Nov 2024 Shutterstock / fongbeerredhot
Shutterstock / fongbeerredhot

Early careers failings have been highlighted in a new report which shows one in three (29%) of graduates and apprentices leave within three years.

Released by UK-based people and learning consultancy The Smarty Train, the study also showed nearly three-quarters (74%) of organisations are unable to confidently demonstrate the true return on investment of their early careers initiatives. This is despite the vast majority (91%) knowing the data needed for ROI and the typical cost of graduate hire amounting to more than £3,200 per person.

The data, gathered from UK and global firms for the consultancy’s inaugural 2025 Early Careers Trends Report, revealed three further trends in UK provisions.

As well as attrition and ROI issues, it identified diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) as the key barrier to recruitment, with most early career leaders highlighting it as their top challenge.

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Leaders also reported critical skills gaps within their teams, citing data analytics, strategic thinking, change management and influencing as the areas in which practitioners’ skills were lacking.

Finally, the report indicated that line managers of early careers need more support, with nearly half (46%) claiming there was room for improvement in the help given to line managers to train new graduate recruits.

The Smarty Train’s chief innovation officer Khairunnisa Mohamedali said: “As organisations across the UK and beyond contend with talent shortages, evolving workforce expectations, and fierce competition for top talent, uncovering that a third of the average early careers cohort leave before the three-year mark should ring alarm bells for industry leaders. This is made even more stark with the current tight labour market, meaning demand is outstripping supply.”

She said the benefits of investing in early careers development are clear: from addressing skills gaps and fostering diversity and inclusion, to enhancing employee engagement, retention, and building a talent pipeline that delivers true return on investment.

“We hope this first-of-its-kind report will not only inspire fresh ideas but equip leaders with practical steps to optimise their Early Careers functions,” Mohamedali added.

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Kavitha Sivasubramaniam

Kavitha Sivasubramaniam is an experienced journalist, editor and communications professional who has been working in B2B publishing for more than 17 years. After graduating from Bournemouth University with a degree in Multi Media Journalism, Kavitha started her career in local and regional newspapers, before moving to consumer magazines and later trade titles, as well as PR. Specialising in pay and reward, she has been editor of a number of HR publications including Pay & Benefits, Employee Benefits, Benefits Expert, Reward and CIPP’s membership magazine, Professional. In June 2024, she won Pay, Reward and Employee Benefits Journalist of the Year at the Willis Towers Watson media awards. She was also named one of Each Person’s top 20 influential HR bloggers and managed a highly commended content team of the year in 2019.

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