Prospects for finance graduate jobs continue to improve, with new research indicating that over a third of UK chief executives hope to increase headcount over the next year.

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) annual CEO survey states that business leaders are prioritising the "people agenda" as a means to recover and increase growth.

Some 85 per cent of chief executives expect to overhaul the way their organisations manage people during change following the recession, and 65 per cent also expect to increase investment in training and development.

Commenting on the figures, human resources spokesperson for PwC Michael Rendell said: "We are all well-versed in the assertion that the deep cost-cutting and headcount reduction many companies felt forced to undertake during the recession could impact speed of recovery and competitiveness so it’s encouraging that CEOs are now prioritising the people agenda."

Around three-quarters of respondents believe having a talented, well-skilled workforce is critical to the future competitiveness of the UK.

A recent study by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation found that 94 per cent of employers expect to maintain or grow their permanent workforce over the next year.

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