Strong forecasts for graduate recruitment

Good predictions have been made for the year ahead in graduate recruitment.

According to Dan Hawes, co-founder of the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, a survey conducted last year has forecast a 16% rise in the number of graduate vacancies.

'The signs are strong across the board for this year, although there's usually a lag between what's happening in the economy and what's happening in recruitment,' he stated, referring to the credit crunch and current economic uncertainty.

Commenting on a recent report by Income Data Services (IDS) - which predicted financial firms will hire fewer graduates this year - Mr Hawes said engineering and manufacturing companies are expected to up the number of vacancies, although they are likely to be in finance, IT and office work.

IDS also reported that graduate salaries are likely to increase by 2.5% in 2008, with the average starting wage reaching £23,800.

Mr Hawes added that many firms are being conservative in the first half of 2008 in regard to hiring graduates, but will continue recruitment in the second part of the year.