Graduate Schemes: What you need to know

Posted by Daniel Pessin on December 17th, 2021

Many students find themselves leaving university struggling to identify a job that suits them, often diving straight into the search for permanent employment. Whilst this may work for some, others may benefit from considering a graduate scheme job. Graduate schemes are a great way to kickstart your career. You may have heard of them but not know what they are or how to apply for one. This article will fill you in on everything you need to know about graduate schemes, why they matter and how Developing a Student can support student job seekers to help everyone fulfil their potential.

What are graduate schemes?

A graduate scheme is a structured training programme run by an employer to develop future leaders of their organisation. They usually last between one and two years (however can be longer) and allow you to gain experience in the industry and offer you a chance to increase your technical skills.

Am I eligible?

Usually, graduates apply for graduate schemes straight from university; however, it is not always necessary to have studied immediately before applying. Some companies will make exceptions if you show genuine interest in their company and enthusiasm for the scheme they offer.

Generally, most graduate schemes are open to anyone who has recently graduated (within 12 months) with a degree in any discipline. However, some companies may have more specific criteria that you need to meet before applying (e.g. professional qualifications or previous work experience). Some student-specific schemes will require students to be studying at a particular university or a student from a specific background.

What types of graduate schemes are there?

There is a range of different graduate scheme opportunities, varying depending on the company you apply to and their requirements for new employees. Some common examples include:

- Graduates with no professional qualifications getting trained up in sales roles, through which you will have the opportunity to gain experience in areas such as account management.

- Graduates being trained up for a specific role within an organisation, which could be working with the staff at different levels and gaining hands-on business knowledge.

- Recent graduates being given training opportunities through public relations or media roles that are popular across many graduate scheme programmes.

Developing a Student has a dedicated jobs board with hundreds of live graduate schemes across the UK.

Why are graduate schemes beneficial?

Graduate schemes are a great way to kickstart your career. They typically offer training, mentoring and the opportunity for a promotion at an early stage in your working life. You receive competitive pay whilst being groomed into leadership positions with major companies or organisations - so they’re certainly not something to be sniffed at!

Graduate schemes allow you to work in the same company for around two years while gaining valuable experience and learning new skills. They could be an ideal way to ease yourself into the workplace because they offer employees flexible working hours, training opportunities, and excellent pay rates. Many student jobs don\'t provide these benefits, so graduate schemes are a great way to kick start your career.

How to apply for a graduate scheme?

Firstly, you are going to need a CV. Make sure it is up-to-date and well presented because recruiters will often spend minimal time looking at your application before deciding whether or not they want to interview you for the role - so make an impression!

Seek out graduate schemes online by searching the company name (if you have a specific company in mind) and “graduate scheme”. Ensure you are applying to graduate schemes that suit your educational background, skill set and interests to make sure it is worth your time in applying for them.

When preparing for an interview, think about how you can present yourself as a potential candidate. Make sure you research everything.

Secondly, research the company where you’d like to apply and make sure you know enough about them to speak confidently during your interview - this shows that you’re interested in the company and passionate about the industry.

Schemes are generally oversubscribed each year, with places limited - especially those offered by high profile companies in major industries. You\'ll therefore have to ensure your application stands out.

Developing a Student has hundreds of pages of information and resources dedicated to understanding the problems you face, the challenges you want to overcome and providing practical and informative solutions.  

Visit https://www.developingastudent.com/ to find out more information on support for students or find graduate scheme opportunities.