New course to help graduates

RECENT university graduates have been given an opportunity to improve their employment chances.

The University of Ulster are offering a new Masters of Business Studies (MBS) at Magee. The new programme is intended for people who want a career in management.

Magee's new course is aimed at recent graduates who want to develop their business skills to an international standard.

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Course Director Grainne Tuohy, from the Ulster Business School, says: "Ideally it's for people who want a careerin businessmanagement and want to develop key skills in leadership, strategy and finance."

She adds: "Managers need to demonstrate commitment and resilience and that is precisely what the studies and practical work on this course will entail. They must be able to develop their ownskills and to encourage skills building among their staff."

Grainne explains how the course can help through the dark days of the recession: "It is about increasing employability strengths and making you more attractive as a new recruit. When the economy emerges from the current trough and the upturn comes, as it must, there will be even greater need forqualified, imaginative and inspirationalpeople to take up the challenges of management."

She spells out the practical benefits of the course: "The MBS is all about enhancing balanced decision-making, and it will facilitate you in acquiring knowledge, expertise and confidence. Part of the programme is an opportunity to participate in a 'Brightspark' internship and complete a live company project that will test candidates' management abilities, powers of innovation and, very importantly, communication skills".

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Ms Tuohy says applicants do not need to come from a business or management background. She says a 2.2 honours degree will be required to get on the course.

Details are available from Grainne Tuohy, Tel: 028 7137 5541:E: [email protected] the School Office, Tel: 028 7137 5028:E: [email protected]

Meanwhile, new research shows that the current crop of UK graduates are facing an incredibly difficult job market.

According to research by High Fliers "more than a quarter of all 2010's vacancies have already been filled, either by graduates from the 'Class of 2009' who had job offers deferred last year or by students who have had previous work experience with employers".

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High Fliers' research also shows: "Half of student job hunters have little confidence that they will find a graduate position at the end of their studies and a third are now planning to remain at university for a postgraduate course instead."