"A third of graduate vacancies this year will be filled by applicants who have already worked for their new employer as an undergraduate, according to a poll of 100 recruiters which underlines the increasing value of internships.
"The majority of employers said it was unlikely that an undergraduate without any work experience would get a job.
"Half of those who will be employed this year by law firms will already have done work experience for that firm, and the proportion is 53% in investment banking, according to a survey of sought-after employers including Merrill Lynch, Cadbury, the NHS and Siemens."