Graduate Training Schemes

To many students hurtling towards their finals in a desperate panic, finding a career becomes one of those things you wish you’d put as much effort into as finding the pub with the cheapest pint.

Graduate schemes that provide a fast track to managerial positions in the UK’s top retailers suddenly appear like the Holy Grail; all you need to do is to get your degree, fill out a few application forms and you can find yourself starting in a £25,000 a year job with great training, career potential and early responsibility. But what does a graduate scheme actually involve and what are the best ways to get on one?

On the whole, graduates can expect to find themselves on a 12 month to two year course that will allow potential managers to experience many aspects of their role, as well as an overview of the operation of the business as a whole. In addition to learning how the bare bones organisation works, graduates will usually get experience in the many different areas of the company, from merchandising to marketing, to work out where they might be best suited.

The graduate scheme at John Lewis, for example, promotes trainees to ‘partners’ in the business as soon as they join, before sending them to test their mettle on the shop floor, in distribution and behind a desk in their central offices. It is only after this broad ranging experience that the company feels that a trainee has a thorough grasp of the company and its brand. Generally, the workplace skills that need to be mastered include project management, people management, decision making and negotiation and communication ability. This training can be project-based and delivered whilst working alone or in teams. Often (but not always) graduates are assessed during this time.

Despite the range on offer to students, graduate training schemes are no easy option. Entrance criteria are tough and many retailers look for a minimum 2:1 in a degree and definite retail experience, meaning a part-time or weekend job in the industry is always a good idea for students. Applications have to be absolutely spot on or you will be wasting your time. Qualifications, experience and enthusiasm are all essential, but count for nothing if you cannot convey them in faultless grammar and answer the questions asked of you fully.

If you have specific areas of interest, such as music, fashion, food or gaming, pick a retailer that will offer you the chance to work with the products you enjoy. Research them fully, find their core values and what they really look for in their employees, this kind of information will set you in good stead for interviews, any psychometric tests and possible group sessions with other hopeful candidates.

But, after all this effort you put in to becoming a graduate trainee, what is waiting for you on the other side? Apart from the great training salary and many opportunities to progress quickly into management roles, there are a number of attractive retailer perks to consider. Graduates at John Lewis become co-owners of the business, enjoying discounts, pension schemes, subsidised club and societies and, famously, a whopping bonus if the store performs well. Perks aside, the real draw for graduates is retail’s dynamic working environment that rewards hard work and commitment with impressive financial packages and the chance to drive forward some of the UK’s biggest businesses.