

Graduate
schemes are well-structured programs that companies use to prepare potential
future staff to work with them.
They
are mostly training programs to help graduates understand the inner workings of
the company that recruits them. But they are also in many ways like a normal
job, as you work full time, get paid a full salary, and get some or all of the
benefits that come with the job.
The
time-frame for graduate schemes varies from company to company, but usually last
anywhere from 6 months to two years. During a graduate scheme, you are exposed
to different areas of a company typically by rotations through various
departments of the company to help you come to grasp with how the company
works. This also helps graduates decide on which departments they prefer.
Deadlines
also vary widely as some companies require applications up to a year in
advance. This makes it advisable to start applying in your final year. However,
you can still apply after graduation and be accepted if you meet all the requirements.
Graduate
schemes are offered by companies across various sectors (finance, healthcare,
marketing, etc), and across most of the UK’s major cities. They are more
commonly offered by large companies and competition for the positions is
usually high.
That
said, here are some of the top graduate schemes you can apply for in
Manchester:
If
you are interested in banking, compliance or finance, here are some companies
that offer great graduate schemes to help you kick-start your career:
Barclays
is one of the UK’s biggest banks, and a top destination for fresh graduates. Barclays
offers graduate schemes with competitive salaries and a large
range of roles. They also have applications open all year round.
Another,
banking giant, Lloyds Banking Group has branches all over the UK including
Manchester. They offer a wide range of unique
graduate schemes e.g. programs in enterprise leadership,
insurance and financial planning, technology-oriented banking solutions and so
on.
As
most graduates typically aim for roles in finance, these positions are
typically highly competitive. Retail, however, offers many of the benefits and
perks sought after in the finance industry. Here are some retail industry
graduate schemes offered in Manchester:
This
multinational retailer has over 900 stores across the UK. They specialize in
selling clothes, home products and food products. They
offer graduate schemes that help train their future staff for
roles in various areas including fashion design, store management,
merchandising, food technology, and more.
Boots
is one of the biggest retailers with 2,500 shops across the UK and Ireland.
They specialize in health and beauty products. Boots
offers graduate schemes in areas like human resources, finance,
procurement and more.
This
huge groceries and general merchandise retailer has over 3400 stores across the
UK. Tesco
offers graduate schemes in Manchester, that give graduates the
opportunity to have real-life working experience from day one. They also offer
competitive salaries, bonuses for good performance, and attractive benefits
like 10% off at Tesco after working there for 6 months.
If
you have an interest in IT, there are many corporations that offer graduate
schemes to help you start your career. Here are a few:
You
might think that Google only offers schemes in the area of IT. But it also
offers schemes in
areas like consulting, marketing and sales. The main aim of their schemes is to
help applicants improve in whatever they decide to pursue. They have attractive
scholarships package and unique benefits like video games. Find out more here
BT
is one of the top telecommunications services companies in the world with
several branches across the UK including Manchester. They offer schemes
that allow graduates to assume a vast array of roles in many areas. These
include cyber
security, project
management, product
management,
marketing, finance, commercial
management, business
analysis & improvement, etc
The
BBC offers competitive
graduate schemes in Manchester, encompassing various areas
like design, engineering, production and journalism.
This
prominent telecommunications and media company currently has up to 22 locations
in the UK including Manchester. They offer graduate
programmes in areas like technology, software engineering, cyber
security, business analysis and more.
With over a million employees, the NHS is the largest employer in Europe. They offer graduate schemes over a vast range of locations across England including Manchester. When applying, you should indicate your preferred working location and personal circumstances, if any, so that they consider that when deploying you.
KPMG
is an international network of firms that provide tax, audit and advisory
services. They have several branches in the UK --including Manchester-- and
offers graduate
schemes in a vast range of services including audit, consulting
and deal advisory services.
This
multinational oil and gas company with its headquarters in London has several
branches in the UK. It offers graduate
schemes that give you to opportunity to gain experience working
alongside some of the brightest minds in their industry. They also offer an
attractive salary and benefits package.
A graduate scheme gives you
the benefits of practical training and real work experience. Graduate schemes
that involve rotations around different departments are particularly helpful
for figuring out which career path you would enjoy most.
Now that you know what some
of your options are, the next step is getting ready to apply for a graduate
scheme near you. The process is competitive, and being a good student will not
be enough to get you through the process. If you would like some help from real
industry experts, get in touch with us today, and we would be delighted to walk
you through the process.
Wouldn't it be a good idea to create a course?