INTEL, the computer giant, is in the process of conducting interviews for up to 100 positions in the company this year and will be travelling to colleges around the country in the coming weeks.

Those being called for interview are students who sent in applications to the company in October.

While the company's initial phase of the recruiting process is complete, Intel's recruitment figures for the past six years paint an interesting picture for those entering college this year or currently studying computers or engineering.

UL was the main source of graduates over this period, with 26 per cent of Intel's new college employees coming from the university compared to 13 per cent from DCU, the next largest source of graduate employees.

Intel's links with UL led the company to donate a £200,000 computer laboratory to the university last year, so it seems likely that Intel are in for the long haul where UL is concerned.

Of the other colleges, TCD and UCD follow close behind with 12 per cent, the DIT with 10 per cent and UCC and UCG with seven per cent and six per cent respectively. Of those recruited, 21 per cent were students of electronic engineering, 10 per cent studied either business studies, computer science or mechanical engineering and eight per cent were students of electrical engineering or physics.

Intel continues to harvest most of its entry level technical staff from the DIT and the RTCs, the largest proportion of them (38.5 per cent) being students of electronics, with mechanical and electrical engineering students accounting for 15.5 per cent and 11 per cent of recruits respectively.

Over the last six years the DIT has been the single largest source of employees at technician level (19 per cent), followed by Dundalk and Carlow RTCs (both 13 per cent), Cork RTC (12 per cent) and Tralee RTC (seven per cent).

This year, in what amounts to descending order, Intel will be seeking graduates of electronics engineering, business studies, computer science and physics, followed by further engineering disciplines (electrical, mechanical, industrial and chemical). Since this is likely to remain the pattern of recruitment for the 1996 milkround, the Intel figures can give final or penultimate year students a useful thumbnail sketch of employment prospects in this area of the computer industry.

Finally, Intel provides around £100,000 in scholarships to encourage students, particularly female students, to pursue science subjects at third level.