The gauntlet has been thrown down to employers to ensure more graduates from Bradford and other Yorkshire universities stay in the region after completing their studies.

Gradcore, a Yorkshire-based graduate support body that runs the yorkshiregraduates.co.uk website, says more needs to be done by regional policymakers and employers to encourage graduates to stay in the area, develop their careers here and contribute to local economic growth.

Former Gradcore chairman Lord Haskins, who hosted a parliamentary reception to launch the latest Gradcore Big Graduate Survey, said: “One of the region’s greatest assets is its student cohort and it is important that we match up that talent to meet the needs of the region’s employers.

“The latest Gradcore Big Graduate Survey highlights that more SMEs need to engage with the region’s graduate talent and ensure they make a contribution to the economy of the region in which they were educated.

“Gradcore and yorkshiregraduates.co.uk have proved to be an excellent conduit in ensuring we utilise the graduates from Yorkshire universities who can make a major contribution to our economic growth.”

Martin Edmondson, chief executive of Gradcore, which works with graduates, businesses and universities to help former students into the workplace, said the survey aimed to measure the economic impact of the region’s graduates.

He said: “The voice of graduates in this survey suggests many are keen to stay and make their mark in the region but find it hard to do so, which is a challenge to all of us who believe graduates can drive growth in businesses and the economy.

“We will continue to develop our efforts in this area and we hope others will join us in pushing for a renewed focus on this important subject.”

The latest survey shows the number of Yorkshire graduates earning £25,000 a year has risen significantly – and shows that more than 80 per cent of those who studied at Yorkshire universities are in full-time employment.

The survey of nearly 1,500 graduates shows that those earning more than £25,000 grew from five per cent 12 months after graduation to 17 per cent three years later.

Graduates with a first-class degree are more likely to earn more than £25,000, with 25 per cent earning more than that on starting work.

Only seven per cent of those with a 2:2 class degree started on £25,000 or more.

Graduates outside the region are more likely to earn more, with 22 per cent of respondents living outside Yorkshire earning more than £25,000, compared to 12 per cent of Yorkshire-based respondents.

The survey highlighted a major concern about the poor perception of the Yorkshire graduate labour market, with more than 60 per cent of respondents rating the job market as poor or very poor.