Graduate employers are desperate to address the application gender balance as statistics show female graduates miss out.
According to a new study by the Associate of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), female graduates miss out on the top graduate schemes despite being more successful in the application process. Statistics from the AGR show women make up 47% of the applications to graduate schemes, despite 53% of students are women.
However, according to feedback from 170 graduate employers to the AGR, women win 49% of the graduate places. Women are more likely to be awarded places when they apply, the report says, but attraction is a difficultly.
Chief Executive of the AGR, Stephen Isherwood, says women are highly likely to succeed in the application process.
"Many women don't apply for the top schemes when they should," he says. "We know women are hugely successful in the selection process. We just need them to realise it. We need to boost confidence and encourage more female graduates to reach their potential."
Stephen says the whole industry need to work out why women are not applying and tackle the issue together.
"Graduate employers want to hire women, there are lots of opportunities out there and these candidates are more likely to succeed, so we need to address why they're not applying. Industry-wide collaboration to tackle student perceptions will be a key step forward."