Tesco is encouraging this year’s graduates to turn to retail as it confirms its commitment to hiring in the coming year.

The retailer has revealed a 61 per cent upturn in graduate applications in 2009, with 15 programmes available and some places yet to be filled.

Tesco is the UK’s largest private sector employer and offers over 100 places on 15 different schemes for UK graduates, from legal services and Tesco.com to property and engineering.

Applications for schemes with entry this September closed in December 2008 and surpassed demand with more than 16,000 graduates submitting applications.

Tesco also runs a continuous recruitment cycle for some schemes in its commercial division, including buying and merchandising with places still available for students graduating this month.

Hayley Tatum, UK operations personnel director at Tesco, said: “We are very aware that the recent economic climate is having detrimental effect upon today’s graduates and the talent of the future.

“We have always identified the skills and opportunities graduates bring to Tesco and for this reason we have remained committed to our graduate recruitment process.

“In recent research conducted by Tesco, we highlighted the earning potential for a career in retail and we encourage today’s graduates to consider all options when leaving university. Tesco has witnessed incredible demand for its graduate schemes this year and places had to be increased for many. I am also pleased to say that places will continue to remain available in our commercial division for immediate start dates due to our continuous recruitment cycle for these areas.”

Applications for Tesco’s 2010 entry schemes open this September.

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