Graduates are our future business leaders.
They play an important role in supporting the health and growth of our regional economy-encouraging them to stay in the region is vital to both.
The University of Sunderland has an excellent track record in delivering programmes of support with graduate employability and retention in the region at their heart.
One such pioneering scheme is the Graduate Internship Scheme. First launched in 2011, the University of Sunderland received European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) to run its Graduate Internship Scheme, connecting graduate talent with regional, Small to Medium Enterprises. It has since provided over 650 graduates the opportunity to work in a variety of small-to-medium private sector organisations across the north-east and delivered nearly £2.4 million in funding to those businesses.
By Autumn 2022, the internship scheme will have placed 250 graduates into full-time roles within growing SMEs, earning an average salary of £20,000.
Graduates typically bring fresh ideas into those organisations, as well as a new perspective, and often help deliver a new product, process or service for the business. After 12 months, employers can decide whether to extend the intern’s contract, and most do, with a high rate of graduates being offered full-time employment on completion of their internship.
Project manager Laura Foster says: “It’s been a well-documented difficult and uncertain time for businesses over the last couple of years, and our project helps SMEs in a really practical way with help towards graduate’s salary costs”.
There are many success stories to have come out of the project and the internships team regularly receives positive feedback from SMEs and graduates who have benefited. One such example is Blaydon-based HLF Group. They recently recruited BA (Hons) Graphic Design Graduate, Brooke Gerrens.
Contact us today to speak with a specialist Commercial Finance Broker to discuss how we can assist you.
Director Rachel Conroy said, ‘Brooke’s appointment has had a hugely positive impact on our business. Previously we outsourced a lot of this work (Graphic Design and Media Management) which took time, and they didn’t know our products as well. I believe we can clearly demonstrate we have grown the business through the work Brooke has produced’.
‘The future is very bright. We have three very large tenders going through at the moment with multi -national companies to refurb their stock across the country. We are also seeing steady growth into new trade sectors.’
Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division
Brooke told us of her internship experience so far, ’I have always had a creative eye, in particular editorial design which feeds into designing brochures for customers, therefore the job fits into everything I have wanted to do.
The atmosphere working at HLF is fantastic, design is something I have always had a passion for, so to have the opportunity to be creative in my career is great.’
The scheme delivers European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and supports SMEs with the cost of employing a graduate, providing up to £3,500 in subsidy payments. After 12 months, employers can decide whether to extend the Intern’s contract.