Deloitte questions plans to scrap UK degree system

Deloitte,
claiming to be UK’s biggest private sector graduate employer, says the
recommendations
by the Burgess Group to phase out degree classifications would make
assessing graduate candidates more difficult but it sees merit in a higher
education achievement report (HEAR) as the key vehicle for measuring and
recording student achievement.

‘The current grade classification system does make it easier to differentiate
between prospective employees,’ Sarah Shillingford, Deloitte graduate
recruitment partner said. ‘At Deloitte we receive in excess of 15,000
applications for 1,400 graduate and undergraduate positions which are assessed
across a range of criteria.

‘One of these criteria is for students to achieve a 2:1 degree. This provides
students with clear and transparent information about our selection process.

‘Whilst we are not in favour of the removal of the degree classification
system, the Higher Education Achievement Report may be useful when assessing
students who narrowly miss out on achieving a higher degree.’

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