This is a busy time for final year students. Your course has started back with a vengeance; there’s that new society role you said you’d do; you’ve committed to another year with your sports team; and it’s crunch time for applying to graduate schemes that start in summer 2017.
So, what is a graduate scheme, and how is it different from a graduate job? A graduate scheme is usually a structured position within an organisation or business. Graduate schemes exist in private, public or third sector organisations across virtually all sectors. It’s likely that if you have spoken to an employer at our Careers Fairs, then they have been talking about their graduate scheme. These schemes are typically well advertised, competitive, and take on large numbers of new grads each year.
Graduate schemes usually have a set length, anything from six months to three years or more. They can involve professional training and with many you will come out with a professional qualification, for example in social work or accountancy. Many graduate schemes also involve working on rotation, meaning you spend time in different parts of the organisation to get a feel for what you like best. One thing to consider is that you may not be guaranteed a job at the end of the graduate scheme – but do well, and this could be a fantastic springboard to an amazing career!
The difference between graduate schemes and graduate jobs can be quite subtle but is important to recognise. Graduate jobs are still aimed at motivated, high-calibre graduates and often include training and support, but are less structured than graduate schemes. They may be with smaller companies or organisations that take on smaller numbers of grads, but they are found across just as many sectors and include a huge variety of types of work and job roles.
You may have to work harder to find out about graduate jobs as they can be less well advertised, so company websites and networking will be important. However, recruitment for graduate jobs may happen later in the year, closer to graduation or all year round, so there is less competition in autumn term than for graduate schemes.
Knowing the difference between graduate jobs and graduate schemes may help you decide what’s right for you when you graduate. But if you’re still unsure, come and talk to us at the Careers Service.