PricewaterhouseCoopers takes 40 graduate IT interns on security and testing teams

Consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers is taking 40 graduate interns into its IT department.

The trainees will work with information security and testing teams.

"The recession and financial crisis marked a shift in attitudes towards understanding more about employability with students getting work experience earlier, rather than just relying on the degree on their CVs to get their foot in the door for a job," said Richard Irwin, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) head of student recruitment.

"Those who start building their work experience portfolio early on have a much better chance of securing the role of their dreams, and not being left in the frustrating position of post-graduation unemployment."

The PwC graduates were recruited from over 100 universities, each competing with 20 others to secure a post on the internship scheme. Some 22,000 people applied for all graduate roles starting this September, double the number who applied last year, according to PwC.

"The massive increase in applications we've received this year shows that students are back in the game. They are realising that despite many saying otherwise, there are jobs out there with top notch training schemes and excellent prospects," said Irwin.

IT apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly popular way to recruit young people into IT roles, with firms such as Visa, British Gas, BT, Capgemini and the Co-operative Group recruiting staff into apprenticeship schemes.