Laura Aldridge (Careers and Employability Consultant) summarises her top ten facts about scientific graduate schemes

Scientific employers will start their recruitment for these opportunities this autumn, so make sure that you do not miss out!  You can find out more about these schemes below, and by referring to our mini guide for more in depth information.   

1. A scientific graduate scheme is a type of paid job opportunity.  Such schemes are designed for those who are about to graduate (or who have recently graduated) so on the job training is usually provided.
2. These schemes may offer the chance to complete a further funded qualification, as well as training and possible career progression.
3. Graduate schemes often offer competitive starting salaries.  For example, when the Scientist Training Programme last advertised for vacancies, their starting salary was £31,365.
4. Flexibility is often a part of scientific graduate schemes, as many of the employers who offer them, allow their graduates to rotate around different departments of the company and to try out different job roles.
5. There are different types of schemes with a variety of employers and you can find examples of them in our mini guide.  The types of employers who offer them are in fields such as the food industry, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, the public sector or the water industry.   
6. Some of these schemes may involve working in a laboratory environment, for example in research and development.  Others may involve using your scientific knowledge within another setting such as in a commercial role.
7. Scientific graduate schemes tend to have very specific requirements.  When you are applying to a particular graduate scheme, make sure that your degree subject matches the employer’s requirements.
8. The majority of the employers who offer these schemes start recruiting for them early in the autumn term.  Therefore, final year students who wish to start a job directly after graduation should look for and apply for these schemes in the autumn term.  Some of these employers even have deadlines that are before Christmas.
9. There are high levels of competition for these job opportunities.  Therefore, please use the support offered by the Careers, Employability and Enterprise Team, to help you produce a strong application form or CV, and to assist you with your interview preparation.
10. There are other types of graduate jobs, as well as which are open to those who have completed any degree subject.  Due to their numerical and problem solving skills, science graduates can be particularly in demand in the finance sector, for example.  Please refer to our generic ‘graduate schemes mini guide’ for details of schemes that are open to those from any degree subject.

Please note:  If you are interested in a career in the scientific sector, then graduate schemes are not the only option.  For example, some graduates may choose to start their career as a laboratory technician and then work their way up to other roles within the company.  Please refer to our mini guide about ‘working in a laboratory setting’ for more information.  You can also find case studies, which give you details of career pathways that graduates from your course have gone onto, in our career planning guides.