Where have all the pre-reg jobs gone?

It is getting to that time of year in the third year undergraduate calendar when most prospective pre-registration trainees are securing their positions for the coming year. 
 
Over the past few years, the increase in popularity of the Summer Schools has been used by the multiple sector in identifying suitable employees. Students work in practice in the summer between their second and third years and subsequently many of them have their pre-registration post secured by the time they embark on the final leg of their studies.

However, some very bright individuals are still struggling to find a placement, something which was unheard of in my day when virtually all final-year students were able to find jobs.  As far as I can recall, the only competition that would ever be encountered, was for the ‘top jobs’ within the Hospital Eye Service, and I can still name those positions on one hand nearly twenty years on.
 
I read in the optical press that one of the multiples is increasing their intake of trainees and although the numbers of trainees have risen there are still only 600 or so graduates nationwide who are looking for jobs which is surely not that many given the number of practices and potential supervisors.  The number of hospital positions appears to have remained fairly constant over the years, so is it the independent sector which is, perhaps, taking a cautionary stance and allowing the new Scheme for Registration to bed in before taking on pre-registration trainees?

So, for what may be the first time in our history, the last few years have seen a small minority of students struggling to find work at the end of their degree.
 
From an employer’s perspective, the increased competition between trainees can only be seen as a good thing as competition will inevitably drive standards up.  However, this competition has had a secondary effect.  A growing number of students are now working in practice during term time with the hope of securing a position for the training year and in one or two cases it seems that when a job has been offered, it is dependent upon them continuing to work there until the official start of their pre-registration year.

But is this change in culture good for the profession?  There could be an argument both ways;  students are becoming more business focused before embarking upon their pre-registration year; familiarity of staff, practice procedures and pre-screening equipment do not have to be revisited etc.  However, surely this additional workload the student is taking on means significantly less time spent completing their studies adequately? 

A number of students are also reporting that despite working in these practices, they still do not know until quite late on whether they have a job or not, and if the latter occurs, then they are back to square one. 

What would be the next possible case scenario?  Trainees having to pay for their pre-reg year? Or is this happening already?

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