Understanding Graduate Schemes

Graduate schemes tend to be defined by the following criteria:

• Operated by large organisations e.g. Civil Service, NHS, PwC, GSK
• Fixed term– usually 18 months – 2 years. Most people are offered permanent jobs with the organisation at the end of the fixed term. These are jobs with some additional study/support elements.  Many operate a rotational system so that graduates spend some time working in different departments.
• Well paid– they usually have better pay and benefits than other graduate options.
• Competitive– when you hear in the media c.80 people applying for every graduate job, it’s generally graduate schemes they are talking about. Some organisations set entry requirements of 2.1 or above and some set UCAS requirements. There is also usually a long recruitment process.
• Timeline– most (but not all) are open for applications in autumn and many (but not all) close by December.
• Graduate schemes are not the only route to a graduate job! Most graduates find graduate level work outside of graduate schemes.