Graduate vacancies reach highest level since slump
THE NUMBER of graduate vacancies last year soared to the highest level since before the recession began, with employers set to open up yet more vacancies to university leavers this year, according to a new report out today.
The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) recorded a surge in vacancies for graduates in the closing months of last year, resulting in an 8.9 per cent rise in available positions over last year’s recruitment round.
In a sign that the economic recovery is continuing, graduate employers will continue the upward trend with a further 3.8 per cent increase over this year’s recruitment season.
Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said: “It is heartening to see that after so many months of misery for graduates, the job market is finally picking up.”
Businesses responded to the report by pledging to work harder to deliver more graduate jobs this year.
Lead graduate recruitment partner at Deloitte Paul Stephenson said: “As one of the UK’s leading graduate employers, we will hire over 1,100 graduates in 2011. We are working hard to further extend our reach.”