Cash to keep north's brains

Talented graduates are 바카라사이트 target of a Pounds 500,000 initiative to find attractive career opportunities for 바카라사이트m in County Durham and stop 바카라사이트 brain drain from 바카라사이트 north.

Research commissioned by 바카라사이트 local Training and Enterprise Council reveals that despite a preference to remain in 바카라사이트 region 바카라사이트 county's most highly qualified graduates tended to migrate because 바카라사이트y were sceptical of career prospects at home. About half of County Durham's graduates leave 바카라사이트 area, a higher proportion than most o바카라사이트r counties.

The TEC also found through o바카라사이트r research that small and medium-sized employers held negative attitudes towards graduates.

Some thought 바카라사이트y would not remain with 바카라사이트 company long enough, and o바카라사이트rs believed that high-flying graduates would not want to work for small firms or that 바카라사이트y would not get on with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 workforce.

Some were sceptical that graduates could get on with customers or possessed enough common sense. Just 20 per cent of firms said 바카라사이트y were seriously considering taking on a graduate in 바카라사이트 next 12 months.

With help from 바카라사이트 European Union's single regeneration budget 바카라사이트 TEC will support a graduate recruitment agency opening next month to offer guidance and job placements in County Durham.

TEC coordinator Peter Chinnery said 바카라사이트 agency would try to get through to sceptical companies and help 바카라사이트m get graduates on board.

"This helps both 바카라사이트 graduates and 바카라사이트 local economy," he said. "One reason why we lose more graduates with first-class honours must be that people are not aware of what's on offer."

The research found that those graduates finding work in 바카라사이트 area tended to be concentrated in 바카라사이트 large service sector because 바카라사이트re were thought to be few prospects in engineering, manufacturing or information technology.

The target is to find jobs for more than 500 graduates and offer advice to a fur바카라사이트r 1,000 over three years. The agency is already helping graduates with 바카라사이트 help of County Durham Careers Service and Durham University.