These surveys on the dismal state of graduate recruitment in 2009 include research from IRS, the CBI, and the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR):

• The median graduate starting salary for 2009/2010 is £24,000 - unchanged from the rate recorded for 2008/2009 (subscription required), according to latest benchmarking data from IRS. This is the first time that the median graduate starting salary has not shown an increase in the 20-year history of this survey. Analysis of graduate vacancy numbers suggests that supply is currently outstripping demand. But while around two-thirds (63.8%) of those surveyed are currently trying to recruit graduates, more than four-fifths (86.2%) plan to do so in the future. IRS notes that this latter figure "suggests that current demand has tailed off slightly, but that employers are optimistic that demand for graduates will increase in the future".
• Back in summer 2009, biannual research from the AGR also found that graduate starting salaries were frozen in 2009 (external website). The AGR concluded at the time that the graduate salary freeze was set to continue into 2010. Earlier this month, AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard gave his view of the current prospects for graduate recruitment (external website). According to Gilleard: "It is still too early to say whether we are likely to see an improvement in 2010 but there is optimism amongst graduate recruiters that the situation should start to ease somewhat. We saw one in four graduate vacancies disappear this year and it will take time before 2008 levels are restored."
• Half of UK employers cut graduate vacancy levels during the 2009 graduate recruitment round (PDF format, 10MB) (external website), the CBI/Harvey Nash employment trends survey 2009 finds. Nonetheless, the CBI argues that UK employers remain firmly committed to graduate recruitment. The CBI says: "More than a third (36%) of jobs with UK employers require graduate level skills and this is set to grow. Employers recognise the importance of recruiting graduate talent, even in difficult times. Through the provision of work experience and internships, businesses continue to play an important role in helping students and new graduates develop the employability skills they will need to be successful in the labour market."

So the current picture for graduate recruitment is less than rosy, but things could well pick up in 2010. Personnel Today recently reported that a number of large employers - including Microsoft, Shell and E'ON - have decided to reassure university leavers that they will continue their graduate recruitment schemes next year, despite the decline in vacancies across the economy.