A leading professional services firm has seen a rush of A-level students applying for its entry level training scheme, with more than 500 applicants for just 16 places in its Northern business this year.

The number of A-level students looking to join PwC is now five times higher than before the recession and has soared by nearly 40 per cent since last year as school and college leavers consider a wider range of options following their A-levels .

PwC in the North received 565 applications for 16 school and college leaver vacancies in its assurance, tax and consulting practices, which start this autumn, including the industry’s first Higher Apprenticeships in tax and consulting. Nationally, the firm received 2,352 applications for 100 school and college leaver vacancies in offices across the UK.

High demand from A Level students is running alongside continuing strong demand from graduates and intern hopefuls as latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency showed that 20,000 graduates are struggling to find paid jobs within six months of leaving university.

Applications to PwC’s school leaver programmes represent eight per cent of the overall number of student and graduate entry applications and the school leaver intake represents six per cent of PwC’s overall student and graduate entry offering this year.

PwC North East chairman Ian Green said: “There’s a generation of students weighing up their career and training options differently, whether because of university fees, economic forecasts or graduate unemployment, and employers have to adapt.

“We’ve played a leading role in the development of the government’s Higher Apprenticeships Scheme, as we are committed to attracting exceptional people.

“The initial response to the scheme has been even better than expected.

“Talented students who are clear about their career path won’t compromise on training and development, and this offers them a realistic alternative to get into business straight after A Levels.

“We have recruited over 500 school and college leavers over the past ten years nationally and this new framework further cements our commitment to widening access to the professions, while creating a nationally recognised industry qualification.”

Roger Marsh, senior partner in PwC's Leeds office, said: “Pessimistic discussions around the student job market can paralyse people’s ambitions and their drive to develop themselves.

“We are clear that anyone with the right talent and transferable skills has the opportunity to succeed in our business.

“We are working with careers advisers, schools and colleges, training organisations, parents and students to help young people make informed decisions about their future career and the route they take to get there.”