A NEW scheme aims to tackle a major problem -- graduate retention in the North-west.

The idea is to encourage young people with brains to build careers locally after studying at the region's prestigious universities and colleges.

Professional Careers North West is being developed by the University of Manchester and UMIST Careers Service in consultation with promanchester -- an organisation which represents the city's financial, professional and business services community.

The project is funded by the North West Development Agency.

A PCNW website will have an on-line vacancy notification system which will e-mail jobs, projects and placements to registered students and graduates.

Employers will be able to post their graduate vacancies on line and add their details to a directory of company profiles and employee case studies.

Mr John Barnacle of promanchester said: "The attraction and retention of good calibre graduate staff is crucial to the region if the professional sector is to continue developing and growing.

"With Manchester's professional sector alone forecast to grow by 50 per cent over the 10 year period to 2009, it is of paramount importance that we address this issue -- and PCNW does just that."

He added: "We want to promote the North-west as a great region in which to live and work and to help new recruits to quickly add value within professional firms.

"Manchester's professional community needs to get behind this initiative as it will ultimately help them to recruit, develop and retain the talent it needs in order to sustain growth."

More information about Professional Careers North West is available from Clare Hartley on 0161-275-2828 or e-mail: info@pcnw.co.uk