TEFL can give graduates experience - graduate jobs

Graduates may be encouraged to take a TEFL course and temporarily teach abroad after a survey found that some firms believe graduates are not prepared for employment after years of academic life.

Almost half of small firms in East London's Thames Gateway region who responded to a University of East London survey felt that graduates were not sufficiently prepared for the world of commerce and industry after academia.

About 58% of the firms questioned have no graduates on the payroll, while 54% said a lack of suitable positions was one reason why they did not employee graduates. Just under a third (30%) said their business did not attract graduates.

"It might be helpful to rethink the 'expectations' businesses place on them," said the university's Martin Chan. "Most graduate placement schemes in large corporations give an 'orientation' period where graduates acclimatise to the company's culture and practices."

Unemployed graduates will be helped in getting internships with small firms to develop their 'employability' skills by £13.6 billion from the Government's Higher Education Funding Council.