A graduate scheme is usually a training programme mixed with a long-term employment contract. These are usually held by larger, more recognisable, companies, such as Enterprise, HSBC, and Sky.

Graduate schemes usually last between one and two years. They can either be designed for a student to enter a certain sector, such as HR or recruitment, or where the student has several months within each sector so they can decide what’s best for them. These schemes do not guarantee employment, but usually the companies will offer jobs to the graduates who have gone through their schemes since they will have done all of the necessary training for the job. A graduate scheme is also a great way of learning new skills that you could not acquire at university, such as management skills or marketing.

To entice graduates, these schemes usually have a pay packet of £21,000 and above. The top graduate schemes now have a starting salary of £40,000! In return for this generous wage, employers expect you to adhere to time pressures and cope with huge amount of work expected from the job.

There are lots of graduate schemes out there; the most obvious one is schemes in HR. A great website to look at HR graduate schemes is Prospects which can be found here! Other graduate schemes include ones in Healthcare, where many are provided by the NHS, as well as marketing, retail, sales and finance. All can be found on the Prospects website.

Graduate schemes usually open in June and close around December, so if you’re struggling for things to do after university, a graduate scheme might be worth looking at if you fancy a year out first.

To apply for a graduate scheme, you usually have to go through a lengthy and extensive process. After the initial online application of sending CVs and cover letters, you’ll be asked to complete interviews, psychometric tests and assessment centres. Though it will be hard work, the payoff will be worth it! Most schemes can be found directly on employer’s websites, but many employers now are using social media, so remember to check social media to see if your dream employer is offering a graduate scheme.

Most schemes and employers will require you to have a 2:1 or above. However, do not fear if you graduated with a 2:2: some employers may accept you based on your experiences, so ensure you gloat about all your wonderful work experiences and opportunities on your CV and following applications.

 

Charlotte Brindley | Careers Ambassador | YSJ