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More jobs and higher wages are on the cards for graduates with the right skills and qualifications, according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).

Its survey predicts graduate vacancies to rise by 16.4 per cent and wages will increase slightly to an average of around £24,000.

AGR's chief executive, Carl Gilleard, said the survey's findings would be "encouraging" for graduates.

"There is a strong message in these results for those seeking a graduate post in 2008 - don't delay, start applying for posts straight away and make sure that you prepare your applications carefully to ensure you market yourself well," he added.

He went on to say that despite the increase in vacancies, it was still a competitive market.

Some employers have voiced concerns about their abilities to recruit the right workers, complaining that graduates are becoming more 'picky' and also lack the relevant skills and qualifications.

Almost 60 per cent of employers polled said not enough candidates possessed the right skills and more than 43 per cent said there were low numbers with the right qualifications.

The recent IT and Telecoms Insights 2008 report has highlighted the need for more highly-skilled IT and telecoms workers – more than 140,000 a year over the next five years, a fifth of which will be graduates.

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