"Top employers cut graduate jobs"

According to BBC Education, at least

But the survey quoted here reports a reduction in the number of vacancies compared to 2008 and a reduction against target:

There is further evidence of a tough graduate jobs market with a survey showing vacancies down 13.5% on 2008.

Research among the top 100 employers identified by graduates shows that the only area with significant growth was the armed forces – up 11%. As numbers of jobs have shrunk, firms have been getting more applicants for each – a third more than last year. High Fliers Research, which carried out the survey, said employers had cut recruitment targets by 28%. Employers have recruited 14,370 graduates to join their payrolls – against an original target of 19,951. Last year, there were 16,614 graduates recruited.

Yes, it is the most challenging time to be a graduate in the jobs market at the moment and it is going to be really tough for a lot of this year’s cohort, leaving university in the middle of the worst recession for generations. You have to feel a huge amount of sympathy. But the government is, to its credit, trying to mitigate some of the effects, at least in the short run, through internship opportunities etc.

However, if the general media reporting on this issue were to be believed, you would think that there were no graduate jobs available at all anywhere in the country. This simply is not the case, although the position is undoubtedly worse than in previous years, and the way this issue is reported doesn’t help.

The Guardian carries a similar report.