In the face of a slumping job market, more and more recent college graduates are applying for jobs with community-service groups The Wall Street Journal reports.

Teach for America says applications from recent college graduates jumped 36 percent in the past year, and officials at the Peace Corps say they are expecting a 16-percent rise in applications from 2007.

The turbulent job market isn’t the only force driving recent graduates toward public service. Officials at nonprofit groups say young people are showing a greater interest in work to improve society.

Altruism isn’t the only factor however. Young workers say they want to learn the skills that community-service jobs offer and access to the powerful networks of those organizations’ alumni who are now working in a multitude of industries.

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