Graduate recruitment schemes are still seen by students as their main route into employment.

In our Milkround poll, three quarters of respondents (75%) said that they aimed to join a graduate recruitment scheme when they finished university. It also revealed that nearly the same amount (73%) had a specific industry they wanted to work in as a career, suggesting they are ready for the early deadlines usually set in place by the programmes.

Students were generally positive about graduate schemes as they allow "integration into the chosen firm or career” and offer “fast progression into jobs with good prospects and pay”. One stated: “They are an appealing way to start a career because they help to get your 'foot in the door’. Many employers ask for experience, so a training scheme can help build up an individual's qualifications.” Another said: “Graduate training schemes are an appealing way to start a career for two reasons: one being that it’s a valuable addition to one's CV and the other being the host of business contacts open to the candidate.” Negative comments complained of the highly competitive nature of the schemes and a perception there is a lack of direct knowledge about where employers would place them.

The survey also showed that it is likely there would be many graduates entering the hidden graduate pool, made up of those who do not get on schemes as soon as they graduate. Two in five (41%) said they would seek out a stop-gap or entry level job if they were not accepted on a graduate scheme, 13 percent would take a gap year and the same amount would continue studying. They could all join a graduate scheme the following year to start on a professional career. Only a third (33%) would seek a professional career that does not involve graduate training if not initially accepted.

More than half (52%) of the students who do not intend to join a training scheme aim to start a professional career, while ten percent aim to continue studying. Just less than a fifth (19%) think they will work in a stop-gap job, and another fifth will take a gap year.

Respondents also claimed they would remain loyal to their first employer: nearly half (45%) expect to spend more than two years in their first job after graduation, about a third (30%) will work in the same job for one to two years. Just 18 percent will probably work for six months to a year with seven percent expecting to stay less than six months.

Milkround spokesperson Mike Barnard said: "Graduate recruitment schemes are as popular as ever and, although sometimes competitive to get onto, they are a gateway to a well-paid, skilled career with plenty of opportunities for progressing within a company. With three quarters of students expecting to stay in their first job for at least year, employers can be confident their new recruits are aiming to make a valuable contribution straight out of university."