DEVON businesses are recruiting low numbers of young people looking for their first job after education, according to research by the county council.

The Workforce Skills Survey aims to better understand the issues facing businesses in relation to skills, with one area being recruitment.

The research found that in the past three years, only 32% of businesses in Devon have employed someone in their first job since leaving school, 31% since leaving a further education college and just 22% since leaving university.

This varied across sectors with accommodation and food services offering the most opportunities to those in their first job since leaving school.

For those leaving FE colleges, financial and insurance-based businesses offered the most employment opportunities, and for graduates it was arts and entertainment, followed by education.

Businesses felt they did not have suitable roles for school and FE leavers at this early stage of their career, or required more experienced employees, whereas for university leavers 33% of businesses did not need graduate skills.

Andrew Leadbetter, county council cabinet member with responsibility for economy and growth, said: “The findings of this research are concerning, but this is an issue being faced at national level as well as in Devon.

“Providing employment opportunities for Devon’s young people, including apprenticeships, is essential both to young people and industry as a whole, so this is an area we are focused on.”