The downturn is not affecting all industries and there are still graduate jobs out there

Carl Gilleard AGR

The total number of graduate jobs has only fallen three times in the last 13 years.

Those wanting jobs in the electrical and engineering sector, particularly telecoms, face the toughest time with employers expecting to more than halve their number of graduate vacancies.

Service sector boost

Students seeking a career in catering, retail or the hotel trade have the best prospects with posts likely to increase by 20%.

And energy, water/chemical and allied industries have predicted an 18% growth in demand for graduates, while salaries generally are also expected to rise by an above-inflation 3.2% over the same period.

But these examples are anticipated to be the exception to the rule.

However 43% of employers said they had struggled to find graduates with initiative, communication skills and the ability to deal with people in the previous financial year.

AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard said: "It is encouraging that some employers are maintaining their graduate intake despite the economic climate.

"The lessons learnt in the early 1990s are clearly being taken on board as employers recognise the dangers and cost implications of stopping graduate programmes completely.

"The downturn is not affecting all industries and there are still graduate jobs out there.

"But graduates need to be on the ball, flexible about their preferred industry choice and clear about the skills employers are looking for."

The survey was based on responses from 178 AGR members.