A BUSINESS and IT consultancy is stepping up its graduate recruitment programme as part of bold plans to boost turnover and recruit dozens of new staff.

In a bid to attract the brightest brains, Waterstons Limited plans to offer local students the chance to join the fast growing firm in the first year of their course.

Bosses at the Durham City-based business hope the move will help it compete with bigger rivals and also stem the brain drain of graduates quitting the region once their studies are complete.

The firm, which recently recruited an additional 20 staff, plans to add about 10 more every year as it aims to take turnover from £6m to £10m in the next four years.

To support its expansion Waterstons invested in a new office next door to its headquarters on Belmont Business Park in April and in 2011 opened an office in London in 2011.

Michael Stirrup, Waterstons finance director, insisted the firm was committed to the North-East.

"This is our home and the majority of our recruitment will be focussed here in partnership with the local universities," he said.

"As an FD it makes sense to me that we expand here as costs are lower than in the south.

"But we also believe there is a huge amount of untapped talent in the North-East and as a people-driven business we rely on a strong talent pool.

"We think offering students an employment contract in their first year, rather than the second or third years which is more typical, will give us an edge."

The company, which expects to add at least 10 new staff in the coming months, attributes its success to an increase in referrals from existing clients.

Mike Waterston, managing director, said: "We focus a great deal on looking after our employees and customers alike and this has always resulted in a lot of referrals, but over recent years there has been a sharp increase in the amount of work we are securing in this way.

"This is the situation we have worked hard to get to and is something we are incredibly proud of."

Last month, Waterstons took on 14 software developers and 5 technical services consultants as well as an account director charged with managing its customers from the transport sector which include Teessport operator PD Ports, Port of Tyne and Newcastle International Airport.

The company, which now employs 83 staff, was officially recognised for its progressive working practices by Investors in People, which awarded Waterstons with its highest accolade, the gold award, for a second time last month.