Are internships taking over for entry-level jobs?

One demographic hit very hard during the recession was recent college graduates. With jobs evaporating and the demand for inexperienced workers decreasing, new graduates were left to seek out internships rather than a first full-time job. However, is that becoming the norm?

New data from the Pew Research Center revealed that hiring among 18- to 29-year-olds has dropped 6 percent since 2006, leaving just 41 percent of that age group employed in a full-time position.

Gartner agrees that decreasing trends among new graduates is a sign that internships are replacing full-time jobs, as 1.5 million college graduates with bachelor's degrees hit the employee recruiting trail this spring.

"Evidence suggests that the internship now replaces the starting job as the place college students actually begin their journey into the workplace," Gartner told CNN.

There is reason for upcoming graduates to feel confident, however. A recent of survey of 4,600 employers conducted by Michigan State University revealed that companies are 10 percent more likely to hire recent graduates than they were a year ago.

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