Graduates face jobless future

Up to 40,000 university graduates could still be unemployed in six months because of the recession.

The number of new graduates out of work will double compared with last year, according to research by the Higher Education Careers Service Unit.

Figures suggest that one in 10 of this year's graduates will be out of work and that the number of unemployed under-25s could reach the one million mark.

Charlie Ball, deputy director of research at Hecsu, said: "If this follows the last recession we could see up to four years of depressed jobs for graduates."

He added: "We think it's going to be at least as bad next year."

David Willetts, the shadow universities and skills secretary, said the government should fund more places on university masters courses.

He said: "Universities need emergency help this year to take on more graduates."

David Lammy, the universities minister at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, said the government was making more loans available for postgraduate students and setting up a national internship scheme.