Employers are being urged to register online for a new graduate internship scheme, which will be run centrally by the government.
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills hopes employers will list more than 5,000 internships on a new website,which will be ready by the summer for employees to search and apply for positions.
Skills secretary John Denham said: “I urge those employers who want to benefit from the skills graduates can bring to register their interest and sign-up to the talent pool online.”
Denham added employers would be expected to offer a wage for their internships.
John Cridland, deputy director-general of business group the CBI, backed the scheme, saying internships would be valuable to future employment.
“We know that companies place a high value on the employability skills that these opportunities provide, including business awareness, teamwork and communication skills,” he said.
