Two leading banks have revealed that they are committed to hiring and nurturing graduates and believe they can play a vital part in their businesses.
Nomura, the Japanese investment bank, has reported a 20 to 25 per cent growth in graduate recruitment, while at Barclays Capital it rose by a fifth.
And two recruitment chiefs at the banks told the Independent they believe internships and graduate recruitment in general are still firmly on the agenda, despite the recession.
Malcolm Horton, global head of recruiting and programmes at Nomura, said: "Internships are very important in the industry in general.
"Joining banking is a huge commitment both personally and professionally. We need to know that applicants are committed."
Jane Clarke, head of campus recruitment at Barclays Capital Europe and Asia, said that the bank was stepping up its first-year programmes, but warned graduates to expect a heavy, but rewarding workload.
According to a recent report by High Fliers, investment banks are planning on hiring one-third more graduates, despite overall recruitment dropping by one-half.