We’re currently looking for an intern to take on some project work. We could easily recruit someone with existing experience, however since one in five 16- to 24-year-olds are unemployed, I thought there’s a good chance that we could hire a smart graduate and give them some valuable work experience.  

We advertised for a 3-month paid internship and, within a few days, received over 50 applications. We’re still receiving a steady stream of candidates, but I was quite surprised by the low proportion that were British students. Here are some high level stats:

• Only 30% of candidates were British students
• Applications from foreign students out numbered Brits by 2 to 1
• 31% of applications were Indian, Italian or Greek students studying in the UK
• The average age of candidates is 24 years old (youngest is 18 and oldest is 27)

Notice that students from Italy and Greece are in the top group of foreign applicants, possibly reflecting the employment and economic conditions they face back home.

This isn’t a case of foreign workers taking British jobs. There are over five times as many British students as foreign students. Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that out of a total of nearly 2.4 million students in higher education, about 85% are UK students, nearly 5% were from other EU countries and just over 10% were from non-EU countries.

This data tells me that foreign students (studying in the UK) are more motivated and tenacious when compared to British students. You could argue that they’ve already demonstrated this by making the ambitious decision of moving abroad to study in the UK. 

Final thought

The government is calling for businesses to give priority to British workers when recruiting staff. However, when only a third of our candidates are British - that really slims down our options.

If you’re a British graduate and can’t find a job - just remember; you’ve gotta be in it, to win it.