Birmingham Future appoints the fourth Graduate Apprentice…

Graduates are facing a difficult time in securing jobs during the recession so it became great news to twenty one year old Emily Williams when she was announced this week as Birmingham Future’s fourth Graduate Apprentice.

This year’s successful candidate overcame a field of seventy other graduates all hoping to be given the unique opportunity to experience three diverse sixteen week placements within the city’s professional sector.

Emily, from Coventry, has recently graduated from Lancaster University with a first in mathematics and will start her year as the Graduate Apprentice in September with Deloitte in Birmingham. She will also enjoy placements with the HR department of Matthew Boulton and Sutton Coldfield Colleges as they prepare for the merger of the two colleges to form Birmingham Metropolitan College before completing her year with business consultants, VC Consulting.

Emily is the fourth Graduate Apprentice and the first female to be given the unique opportunity to sample three diverse working environments during a structured year since the innovative scheme was launched in 2006 by Birmingham Future.

The programme is run by the organisation’s Talent Retention and Development Committee and supported by Graduate Advantage.

Emily recently visited all three of the placement companies and enjoyed a tour of the city that will become her home and was excited at the prospect that lies ahead;

“Very few of my university friends have managed to secure a graduate job so I am even more excited and pleased to be given this unique opportunity. Like so many other students, I was unsure of the exact direction I wanted to take after leaving university which is why the Graduate Apprentice programme is so appealing.

“I will now have the opportunity to experience three different working environments and with three very different projects to work on. I shall get to know how a major business operates at Deloitte, be involved with Matthew Boulton and Sutton Coldfield Colleges at a highly important and significant time in their development and find out about life in an SME at VC Consulting. I know this will be a fantastic journey.”

Chair of Birmingham Future’s Talent Retention and Development Committee, Anthony McCourt commented;

“Congratulations to Emily on becoming the latest Graduate Apprentice. The introduction of the Government’s new Graduate Internship Programme highlights the importance they are putting on work placements. The Graduate Apprentice, which has been acknowledged as an innovative scheme by leading politicians, goes one step further by offering three diverse placements which gives a far broader view of the opportunities that exist within professional services. This year’s applications were the strongest we have seen which reflects clearly that this opportunity both excites and stimulates graduates.

“During these challenging economic times, I am delighted we are able to continue to offer this unique programme which is only possible due to the continuing support of our placement firms and Graduate Advantage.”

Could you be the next Apprentice?

 

You're Hired?

Birmingham Future are currently searching for the 4th Graduate Apprentice, so this month, we asked Jason Norris, Graduate Apprentice 2007 why you should apply to this years scheme…

So the search for the Apprentice is on… no, not that one.  This Apprentice will see three companies across one amazing year, and if you have graduated within the last two years, then it could be you.

Forget the Boardroom, if you are successful in becoming the Graduate Apprentice 2009, your three employers will be able to offer you a variety of work that is unrivalled… even by Sir Alan.  The Graduate Apprentice programme is aimed at Graduates who want to add something different to their CV, and who want to be sure about their career choice.  

Graduate Apprentice Scheme welcomes new addition!

The Graduate Apprentice logo

Birmingham Future is delighted to announce that Matthew Boulton College for Further and Higher Education will be joining the Graduate Apprentice  scheme as one of the three placement organisations for the Graduate Apprentice 2009.The Graduate Apprentice scheme, run in partnership with Graduate Advantage, is one of a kind, each year offering one selected graduate the unique opportunity to experience three diverse work placements over a 12 month period.

Anthony McCourt, who chairs Birmingham Future’s Graduates into Employment Committee who oversee and organise the scheme, commented on the College pledging their support by saying “it is fantastic that Matthew Boulton College has agreed to support the Graduate Apprentice 2009. It means that the selected graduate will get the fantastic opportunity to experience working in the Business Support Directorate of an organisation that is going through exciting times with its planned merger with Sutton Coldfield College”.

Matthew Boulton College will join VC Consulting, a small consultancy firm that specialises in working with micro businesses, and ‘big four’ accountancy firm Deloitte, who have supported the Graduate Apprentice scheme since its inception. Rachel Hewson, graduate recruitment manager for Deloitte commented on the firm’s continuing involvement by saying “The Graduate Apprentice scheme represents a real opportunity for a graduate to gain a wealth of experience to help them to improve their employability in what is currently a difficult climate, and we are delighted to be able to continue to work with Birmingham Future in delivering this opportunity.”

Graduate Apprentice – Placement One

They say time flies when you’re having fun – and if that’s the case, I’ve been having the time of my life! The first four months of being the Graduate Apprentice have been everything I could have expected and more, and it has passed by rather like Christmas morning does for an excited child, in a haze of colourful, sugary exhilaration. Although the Grinch of the credit crunch has been doing its best to suffuse everything in gloom, my work has thankfully continued unaffected.

The Third Apprentice

The 2008 Employers & Mayur

Birmingham Future has selected its third Graduate Apprentice. Launched in 2006, the Graduate Apprentice is a UK first in which one recent graduate is given the opportunity to experience three diverse working environments within the professional services sector in Birmingham.

The Graduate Apprentice for 2008/9 is Mayur Murali. He is 21, originally from Buckinghamshire and has just graduated from the University of Warwick where he undertook at Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences.

As part of his formalised year, Mayur will spend four months each, with Deloitte in Birmingham, property management company LMM and with VC Consulting. In addition, he will receive complimentary membership of Birmingham Future as well as joining their mentoring programme and will also receive support and training from Graduate Advantage.

Commenting on his selection Mayur said;

“I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen. This is a wonderful opportunity. To be able to experience three diverse working environments is the truly unique element of the Graduate Apprentice and the main reason it is so appealing. I am also looking forward to the challenge of making a positive impression to three different employers in a relatively short amount of time and to be able to learn and utilise new skills in each placement.”

Ruth Ward, who chairs Birmingham Future’s Graduates into Employment Committee who oversee and organise the Graduate Apprentice programme said;

“When we launched the Graduate Apprentice three year’s ago it was aimed specifically at Midlands based students. Now in year three of the programme its appeal and popularity has resulted in applications from recent graduates from all over the UK and international students. Clearly the unique experience of a year working with three different companies is very appealing. Jason Norris, our last Apprentice has had a fantastic year in which he has developed skills and knowledge that will considerably strengthen his career prospects. I am delighted that as Jason hands over the role of the Graduate Apprentice to Mayur, he will be taking up a permanent role in the International Tax department at Deloitte.

You can keep up to date with Mayur’s year by reading his blog.