Two Oxfordshire students have been chosen as experts on a national panel looking to bridge the gap between college and the world of work.

Andrew Hulbert, from Oxford, and Jane Aitken, from Chipping Norton, have been chosen as members of the 12-strong Orange Make Your Mark Graduate Panel.

The aim is to help graduates understand the challenges of a rapidly-changing workplace and bosses to grasp the needs of people leaving full-time education.

Mr Hulbert, 20, who is in his second year studying business management at Essex University, said: "Companies must find new ways to assess students' skills rather than simply looking for the qualification on the job application.

"Entrepreneurial ability is a major factor that should be assessed. Students are going through university gaining fantastic entrepreneurial skills and these are the sorts of assets a student owns that, so far, are not assessed by employers."

Ms Aitken, 23, graduated from Aston University last year with a degree in managerial and administrative studies and is on a graduate training scheme.

She said: "It's increasingly hard for students and graduates to show organisations their key strengths and understand the culture of the company they are applying for.

I think it's important to rethink the way graduates apply and how companies assess them as potential employees."