The Locate Isle of Man Graduate Fair, which took place in April of this year, has resulted in a number of graduate hires across a range of local businesses.
The event, hosted by Locate Isle of Man, which forms part of the Department for Enterprise, showcased the breadth and diversity of the Island’s economy and local career opportunities to over 200 graduates and students.
Attracting graduates back to the Isle of Man, while also retaining students currently studying on Island, is an important part of Locate’s ongoing strategy and essential to filling skills gaps in the Isle of Man.
The Fair continued to be an extremely popular event, with over 60 local businesses attending. A post-event survey conducted by Locate Isle of Man found that 94% of responding businesses agreed that the event was worth attending, with 47% reporting they generated positive leads throughout the course of the day.
Utmost Wealth, who were recruiting for a number of graduate roles at the Fair, reported that over 10% of their June hires comprised of local and returning Isle of Man graduates, recruited as a direct result of the event.
Keith Simpson – Head of Human Resources at Utmost Wealth, commented:
‘The 2022 Graduate Fair was a great success for us as a local business. The event attracted a high calibre of graduates and on the day we received 12 CV’s alone, attestation of the dedication to those that attended.
‘We have had six successful job offers in the last month for returning graduates – a further testament to the talented students that attended the event.
‘We are so pleased to have these graduates on-board with us at Utmost and look forward to supporting and nurturing their development as they kick-start their careers here in the Isle of Man.’
Rosie Kneale, a hospitality graduate who recently completed a Level 2 Production Chef Apprenticeship at the Saddleworth Cookery School, attended the Fair while visiting relatives on the Island, and has since secured a role on-Island.
Rosie, who is planning to relocate later this month, commented:
‘I thoroughly enjoyed the Grad Fair and was pleasantly surprised at how many career opportunities there are in the Isle of Man, especially within the hospitality sector. The businesses I spoke to were full of insightful information and couldn’t have been more helpful when answering my questions.
‘After the event I signed up to the Locate Talent Portal in the hope of finding a role in the Isle of Man. I have since successfully secured a role at a local hospitality business, all thanks to attending the Graduate Fair. I am incredibly excited for what the future holds here in the Isle of Man, both professionally and personally.’
Minister for Enterprise, Hon Tim Crookall MHK, commented:
‘We understand that skills shortages are still very much a challenge for several industries in the Isle of Man. Locate Isle of Man plays an important role in addressing this challenge, by promoting the opportunities available on the Island for both returning and relocating graduates.
‘The Graduate Fair is part of the Island’s continued commitment to ensuring young people are aware of the wide range of career opportunities available to them in the Isle of Man. It’s therefore been fantastic to see so many graduates securing roles on the Island as a direct result of the Fair, which continues to grow in success year on year.’
