Deciding what to do after graduating is one of the most important decisions for a student. For most, the ideal scenario is to have secured a role by the time their university journey reaches completion; but this is not the only key outcome, the average student also strives to attain a role that will help launch their career onto the right trajectory.
As a student, getting on a graduate scheme seemed to be the only visible way for me to achieve a well rounded career. From the exposure to many functions of the organisation, to mentorship and a promising salary package, it was a no-brainer for me to prioritise my efforts into landing a graduate scheme role! The reality however is that these are usually offered by the behemoths of the industry such as BP, GSK, Johnson Matthey, JP Morgan etc., occasioning to an enormously large applicant pool versus number of available opportunities.
So then comes what some may consider the “next best option” i.e. direct entry graduate role, to which most graduates, myself included (some years ago), are re-directed. However, considering you still get the opportunity to work for a great organisation (commonly SMEs), and gain experience that can provide both professional and personal growth, is the “next best option” attribute a true representation? Does this route provide its own unique benefits that can equally set you on a great career path as in the case of a graduate scheme (or even better)? How much impact does the route you go through actually bear on your career success?
To gain insights on these questions, I interviewed a group of brilliant engineers who started their careers in either a graduate scheme or direct entry position. We discuss experiences, opportunities, drawbacks and some of the important factors that have shaped their career. To watch the interview, click on the video below :
Panelists:
Joseph - Project Manager at Mace
Vanessa - Assistant Engineer, Mott MacDonald
Jessica - Facility Operations Supervisor at Air Products
Patrick - Water Production Engineer at Affinity Water
Some of the key takeaways:
Graduate schemes give you a good understanding of how a business conducts its operations and direct entry roles offer more flexibility, asides these, both routes offer very similar opportunities. Mentorship, experience in multiple departments within your organisation and career development were common to all the panelists. Whilst you may have a more direct access, in a graduate scheme setting, you can also access these opportunities in a direct entry role, you may just have to be more proactive in your approach.
Be proactive - take ownership of your career, have discussions with your manager, identify opportunities that will help your development.
Be willing to learn, regardless of the route, it is very easy to be supported when you can demonstrate this attitude.
If you are unable to find opportunities to develop some skills within your organisation, look outside. Find the right institutions & networks and get involved!
I would like to say a huge thank you to our panelists for sharing their experiences! My best wishes also to all the students and graduates who are in the process of applying, I hope you found this interview useful!
If you have any questions for the panelists, you can leave a comment below, send an e-mail or contact the panelists via LinkedIn.
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