More than half of employers (52%) do not focus enough on recruiting graduates and school-leavers.

According to research from b-live, which provides vocational development advice to young people, supporting schools is seen as the biggest brand enhancer from a CSR perspective, but only 33% of employers do this; only 18% of employers believe they provide enough work experience.

However, fewer than half (42%) of schools said that employability of students is the most important part of the careers curriculum, and only 8% of teachers said providing or sourcing suitable employment for school-leavers is a priority.

Tanja Kuveljic, managing director of b-live, said: "Better communication between young people  and businesses will give young people a better insight into the jobs available and the skills and qualifications required. It will also add real value to the business by creating a sufficient talent pipeline, cutting resourcing costs and increasing retention."