A more diverse range of graduates are being recruited thanks to the Age Discrimination Act and an emphasis on ethnic diversity in the workplace.

The AGR Graduate Recruitment Survey 2008 of more than 200 graduate employers revealed how more efforts are being placed into marketing their opportunities to a wider range of graduate talent.

The new Age Discrimination Act in 2006 is having a direct impact on recruitment practices. In 2007 1.7 percent of new graduate employees were over 35 years of age compared to just 0.8 percent in 2006. This may have been due to the act’s direct impact on the marketing strategy of more than three-quarters of recruiters.

Another example of inclusion among graduate recruiters relates to the proportion of those recruited from ethnic minorities, which rose from 15.1 percent in 2006 to 26.7 percent in 2007. The AGR claims the extensive and effective marketing to improve the ethnic mix of workforces contributed to the rise.

Worryingly, the survey suggested a gender gap may be widening as the number of women recruited in 2007 fell by 3.5 percent to 39.1 percent. Although this is well below the proportion of females graduating, the AGR claims this can perhaps be explained by medical and teaching careers not featuring in its survey.

Richard Chapman of Diversity Milkround said: “The AGR report show the positive impact of initiatives aimed at supporting Age and Ethnic diversity in the workplace. But there is still more to be done for gender equality and ongoing work in the disability, religious and sexual orientation sectors.

“Diversity Milkround connects diverse students and graduates with key diversity conscious employers across the social spectrum. Through our website, emailing service and unique sponsorship opportunities we aim to further enhance diversity on campus and into the corporate workplace.”

Other findings in the AGR included a strong indication that employers are looking abroad for talent, with a quarter marketing UK vacancies overseas. Finding the best people was given as the reason, along with a desire to form a culturally diverse workforce for a European or global organisation.

Employers involved in the survey also revealed their dominant impression of Generation Y graduates as taking their personal and career development seriously. Candidates choose their potential employers critically and carefully. Direct contact is preferred with presence at fairs and on-campus increasingly favoured by recruiters.

For more information about diversity in the workplace and graduate jobs with employers championing equal opportunities, visit diversitymilkround.com