The graduate jobs market is showing early signs of confidence returning, according to Richard Irwin, head of student recruitment at PwC.

Irwin’s comments come as PwC records a 118% increase in applications against the same period last year, having recruited 1,200 full time graduate and student vacancies to start in 2011, while more than 400 internships are also available.

Irwin says: “These levels of interest are a promising start to our recruitment programme, and in part reflect early signs of confidence in the job market returning among students.”