THE end of the academic year means the talent pool is at its peak. That’s fantastic for the business community and our local economy which is in continuous need of new skills, ideas and enthusiasm.

Unfortunately for many employers, the reality of being able to recruit the graduates they so desperately need to remain competitive isn’t easy. As economic recovery remains slow and uncertain, more creative approaches are required to crack this vicious circle, with one of the most effective solutions being a professionally planned and managed graduate internship.

This is not about informally helping out a family friend or bringing in cheap labour to make the tea and frank the post for six months. Graduate internships are professionally structured programmes with a specific objective which adds value to the business.

They allow business owners and managers to employ highly educated, skilled people who they otherwise wouldn’t have access to, and graduates get vital real-life experience in the workplace to aid their transition from academia into business and earn a wage in the process.

One recent survey suggested graduates see better pay and career prospects with larger organisations.

But more than three-quarters of respondents felt small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had a better work ethic, greater job satisfaction and encouraged more creativity in the workplace.

With such a positive reputation, SMEs have a superb building block for attracting graduates. And the positive experiences of those firms who take the leap of faith suggest the graduates who secure internships are highly motivated to deliver on their objectives.

Among countless examples is that of two interns who completed their project so far ahead of schedule and at such high quality that the firm involved immediately gave them two further projects.

And when the administration of payments is managed by the university, with payment on an hourly basis that is not eligible for National Insurance contributions, the real question is – can businesses afford not to consider this valuable resource?

For more information about York St John Business School call 01904 876915 or email business.school@yorksj.ac.uk.