Call centre bosses reported an increase in the number of applications from former students amid a drop in the number of well-paid graduate positions.
The news follows the publication of figures showing that thousands of students are finding work in bars, supermarkets and building sites after failing to secure posts in graduate professions.
According to a latest study, one-in-three call centre staff now has a university degree compared with 25 per cent in 2009.
Almost half of call centre bosses said they had seen a increase in graduate applications.
The findings – in a study by Hays Contact Centres – follows a drop in the number of skilled staff taken on by leading firms in recent years.
Geoff Sims, managing director of Hays Contact Centres, said: “Call centres are becoming more demanding of their staff so it isn't surprising that the profession is attracting more people with degrees, particularly when we are still faced with a challenging economy and high unemployment levels.”
The study – based on a survey of almost 300 call centre staff – also found that university graduates increasingly saw call centre work as a career.
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