DWF is to stop asking for specific A level grades from training contract applicants. Instead, it will for “good A levels” or Scottish Highers or the equivalent qualification in other countries.
The decision has been made to attract talent that might otherwise have been put off by the firm’s grade requirements.
Graduate recruitment partner James Szerdy, said: “Since implementing the Rare Contextual Recruitment system in 2017, we have been able to look at an applicant’s achievements in the context that they were gained which has enriched our recruitment process and has given us a clearer idea of candidate potential. We want to take the next step towards a more contextual assessment, ensuring that we are attracting and recruiting talented individuals from all backgrounds. ”
Ty Jones, DWF’s director of corporate social responsibility and engagement, said, “For too long social background has impacted an individual’s likelihood of working in the legal sector. This change is a positive step to becoming a more inclusive employer.”
The idea of scrapping grade requirements is not a new one. In 2015, for example, EY launched a training contract which requires potential candidates to undertake a series of online assessments instead of achieving a minimum number of UCAS points.
