They may have an image of being grey number crunchers, but accountancy will be one of the hottest destinations for new graduates this summer, according to latest research.
The study of the graduate jobs’ market by the Association of Graduate Recruiters has predicted that graduate vacancies this summer will rise by 14.5 per cent, compared with 15.5 per cent last year.
Average starting salaries will go up some 4.8 per cent to £22,000, the biggest predicted increase for five years.
The biggest increases in both salaries and vacancies will be in accountancy, with starting salaries in some parts of the UK exceeding £25,000 for the first time, said AGR.
AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard said: “Significant increases in vacancies this year, building on a substantial increase last year suggests that business confidence is high across most sectors.
"Predicted salary increases of 4.8% are very generous and indicate that employers continue to recognise the value that top graduates bring to businesses. It also suggests that among recruiters competition for the best graduates is intensifying,” he added.
Other sectors reporting large numbers of vacancies include investment banks, law firms, engineering or industrial companies, retail and the public sector, said AGR.