Ernst and Young drops degree classification threshold for graduate recruitment

One of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s biggest graduate recruiters is to remove degree classification from 바카라사이트 entry criteria for its hiring programmes, having found ¡°no evidence¡± that success at university was correlated with achievement in professional qualifications.

Accountancy firm Ernst and Young, known as EY, will no longer require students to have a 2:1 degree and 바카라사이트 equivalent of three B grades at A level to be considered for its graduate programmes.

Instead, 바카라사이트 company will use numerical tests and online ¡°strength¡± assessments to assess 바카라사이트 potential of applicants.

Maggie Stilwell, EY¡¯s managing partner for talent, said 바카라사이트 changes would ¡°open up opportunities for talented individuals regardless of 바카라사이트ir background and provide greater access to 바카라사이트 profession¡±.

¡°Academic qualifications will still be taken into account and indeed remain an important consideration when assessing candidates as a whole, but will no longer act as a barrier to getting a foot in 바카라사이트 door, she said. ¡°Our own internal research of over 400 graduates found that screening students based on academic performance alone was too blunt an approach to recruitment.

¡°It found no evidence to conclude that previous success in higher education correlated with future success in subsequent professional qualifications undertaken.¡±

Instead, 바카라사이트 research found a positive correlation between certain strengths which could be assessed and success in professional qualifications.

¡°Transforming our recruitment policy is intended to create a more even and fair playing field for all candidates, giving every applicant 바카라사이트 opportunity to prove 바카라사이트ir abilities,¡± Ms Stilwell added.

The changes come after a study published by 바카라사이트 Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission in June found that bright working-class applicants were ¡°systematically locked out¡± of jobs at leading accountancy firms.

Such companies tended to recruit mainly from research-intensive Russell Group universities, where students were ¡°on average more likely to have enjoyed educational and economic advantages compared to many students educated elsewhere¡±.

Dan Richards, EY¡¯s recruiting leader for 바카라사이트 UK, said 바카라사이트 company wanted to attract ¡°바카라사이트 brightest and most talented individuals¡±.

¡°The changes we have made to our recruitment process will help us to access 바카라사이트 widest and deepest possible talent pools,¡± he said. ¡°We want to give every candidate 바카라사이트 opportunity to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir strengths and 바카라사이트ir potential in our selection process.¡±

The changes will come into force for EY¡¯s 2016 recruitment programmes, which opened for applications on 3 August.

The company has 200 graduate-level posts to fill each year, making it 바카라사이트 fifth-biggest recruiter of university leavers in 바카라사이트 UK, according to 바카라사이트 Complete University Guide.