The rail infrastructure operator Network Rail has taken on double the amount of graduates this autumn than it did in 2008.
More than 230 graduates have been recruited to join the company as it strives to develop a bigger and better railway.
Almost 80 new recruits have been employed in project management roles after they successfully finished a new MSc which has been designed specially for the company. The qualification is run in collaboration with University College London (UCL) and the University of Warwick.
Another 137 applied through the normal graduate recruitment scheme and 20 more were successful thanks to sponsorship to study at Sheffield Hallam University for a foundation degree in railway engineering.
This brings the total intake to 231. An additional 40 have also joined on an eight-week programme as part of the Government's graduate talent pool scheme.
Over half of the graduates have been employed to work in the area of London.
Adrian Thomas, Network Rail's head of resourcing said: "By working with world class institutions such as University College London, the University of Warwick and Sheffield Hallam University, as well as using more traditional recruitment processes, we have hired terrific talent who will play their part in delivering multi million pound projects to revamp stations, build new track and improve Britain's railways for everyone."
Those joining the company will work across a number of disciplines including civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, commercial property, finance, operations and customer services, infrastructure investment, project management, strategic sourcing and information management. Positions have been filled across Britain.
