Graduate vacancies in last year’s recruitment season rose the first time since before the recession, according to a report from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).

The findings show employers saw an 8.9% rise in vacancies on the previous recruitment round.

However, the median graduate starting salary remained at £25,000 for the second year in a row in 2009/10 and is predicted to stay at this level this year.

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, says: “It is heartening to see that after so many months of misery for graduates, the job market is finally picking up. Our members represent a broad and competitive segment of employers within the UK economy and these results signal that the graduate market is overcoming the impact of the recession and anticipating further growth.”