Leaving University is a massive relief after your life has been consumed by exams and coursework… Finally, you’ve made it!
Yet itโs also daunting going into the world of work, where do you start looking for your first role?
You may have come across Graduate Jobs and Graduate Programmes (sometimes known as Graduate Schemes) and although similar sounding, they offer very different opportunities.
Graduate programmes are tailored specifically for graduates, easing you into the world of work with training, mentoring whilst offering clear development and progression to kick-start your career! On the other hand, graduate roles are job-focused and likely offer basic entry pay.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐๐๐, ๐ก๐๐ฉ’๐จ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ก๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ช๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ข๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐จ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฃ๐!
On the job training
There is a lot to learn when starting a job, especially if you have little to no experience. Thankfully, graduate programmes are designed with your situation in mind!
Rather than throwing you into the deep end without a life jacket, Graduate Programmes include hands-on training that will help to build skills and experience quickly. Ongoing development throughout the programme means that you will constantly be enhancing and nurturing your skills.
You will likely have a mentor who will demonstrate work and be there to answer questions and help. That’s a whole lot less stress than starting a job with no experience amidst little guidance!
Networking
Being the new person in a large corporation can be nerve-racking. In Graduate Programmes, companies tend to hire multiple graduates at once; having colleagues who are also beginning their career can crush your first-day nerves.
There is a large sense of community that is guaranteed to make work more enjoyable!
Graduate Programmes are also a great way to meet like-minded people who share similar aspirations, helping to build connections in your industry. Who knows, a fellow graduate might become your future business partner!
Travel Opportunities
Large companies with offices globally tend to run Graduates Programmes, meaning you might get the exciting chance to relocate!
You could even apply for graduate programmes abroad to begin with, meaning no need to restrict yourself to the UK. Most of the programmes are currently remote due to Covid so there is time to decide whether you want to relocate.
Salary and Job Opportunities
Graduate Programmes tend to offer generous salaries, with some starting at ยฃ25k – ยฃ30k! These can also increase with the commission in certain sectors. The Programmes include specific growth plans so you will be given the opportunity to obtain pay rises and promotions at a faster rate than you might expect to gain with an entry-level job.
Although there is no guarantee that a company will offer you a full-time position after a graduate programme, it’s extremely likely. They will be in spending and investing on training you… so why would they want to lose a quality employee?
With the 2.5 million University Graduates each summer, why wouldnโt you want job security when you join a programme?
๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ช๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ข๐?
Companies will have Graduate Programmes advertised on their websites and social media accounts, so they should be easy enough to find. For many large organisations, their graduate programme are annual or bi-annual, meaning you can always expect to find them.
At AvA-V, we partner with many businesses to help them find their next wave of talent to join their Graduate Programmes.
If you’re eager to kick-start your graduate career, get in touch! We might just have an upcoming Graduate Programme that will be great for you.
Still need convincing that a graduate programme might be the right route for you?
Take a look at our most recent programme below.
