Professionals and graduates from elite British universities are making a beeline for India, thanks to its booming economy, closer trade relations between the two countries and numerous job opportunities there.
Thousands of people face the prospect of losing their jobs due to the current credit crunch and a downturn in the British economy. A steep rise in the cost of living in recent months has further prompted professionals to look beyond borders.
Fresh MBA graduates from the University of Oxford's Said Business School have taken the initiative to organise a recruitment fair in Mumbai on July 30 and 31. They have already received an enthusiastic response from potential recruiters.
Apart from Britons and British-Asians seeking employment abroad, professionals leaving the country inlcude many among the recently arrived highly skilled migrants from Poland, Nigeria and Australia.
The Institute of Public Policy Research says that they may have better job prospects back home, where they can also avoid Britains spiralling cost of living.
Private hospitals in India often recruit doctors working in the National Health Service. These include Indian doctors who came to the UK some years ago and are now choosing to return home for better working conditions.
A recent survey revealed that British graduates were prepared to fill nearly 200,000 jobs in Indian call centres by 2009. Several Indian and British call centres recruit British graduates from regions that have large Asian population. Their accent helps them interact with British customers while working in call centres in India.
For British Asians, working in Indian call centres has a double attraction they get a job that helps them connect with their roots.
A Scottish history graduate recently made news by quitting his job in Sky Television with an annual salary of 21,000 pounds to work in an Indian call centre.
Officials at Oxfords Sad Business School told PTI that the recruitment event in Mumbai will offer Indian recruiters a unique opportunity to meet outstanding postgraduate student talent under one roof.
One of the organisers, MBA student Tarun Dhillon, who has a background in Aerospace and Defence, said, "With the advent of India as a global business leader, many of the bright minds from Oxford look forward to taking on the business challenges in the booming Indian economy and to be part of India's success story."
"I am delighted with the level of interest from the class and we hope to engage with a range of companies in a variety of sectors. We hope this inaugural event will become an annual fixture in the School's recruitment calendar," Dhillon said.
Simon Tankard, Head of Careers at the business school, said, "It is a fantastic opportunity for recruiters in India to get to know our students and for the students to learn about the organisations that interest them."
"Many of our students are looking to high-flying international careers and we are delighted to support this student-led initiative that brings together the collective insight and connections of the organising group with the services and connections of the Business School."
Another MBA student Deepti Gali said, "The buoyancy in the Indian economy is evident in the number of outbound cross border deals and the amount of private equity money flowing in."
"I am sure working in India would provide a perfect platform from which to launch my post-MBA career."
