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Around 150 young people and their families met with blue-chip employers from sectors including engineering, finance, technology and public services last week at Heriot-Watt University’s first ever Graduate Apprenticeships Recruitment Fair.
The event, at the University’s Edinburgh campus in Riccarton, was designed to highlight the multiple career pathways available through Graduate Apprenticeships, which blend academic learning with practical, work-based experience.
Global financial services firm J.P. Morgan, defence technology specialist Raytheon UK, engineering and industrial systems company Bosch Rexroth and City of Edinburgh Council were among the employers taking part. Other employers at the event included electronics company Plexus Corp, semiconductor business Shin Etsu Handotai and Fife-based water treatment company Ross-Shire Engineering (RSE).
Young people from across Lothians, Forth Valley, Borders, Fife, Tayside and Glasgow were invited to the event. This included senior secondary school pupils and their parents or carers, college leavers and people looking for a career change. Most of the school pupils who attended were aged between 16 and 17.
A 5th year school pupil from a local secondary school said: "Meeting the employers and hearing about the types of jobs available was really good. It made me think, I can really do this! It’s not just about classes; it’s about getting out there and making it happen. This event definitely got me thinking about what I’m going to do next."
One of the parents from a local secondary school added: “We didn’t really know what to expect, but the event was a real eye-opener in terms of the benefits that Graduate Apprenticeships offer a young person. It was also great to see the range of careers available from the different employers.”
Graduate Apprenticeships are designed to create degree-qualified employees with key skills tailored to the needs of the business. They were launched in 2017 to address skills gaps in key areas of the Scottish economy. Anyone over the age of 16 can apply for a Graduate Apprenticeships opportunity with an employer, with no upper age limits.
Ryan Wilson, Senior Recruitment Partner at Ross-Shire Engineering, said: "This event provided an invaluable opportunity for the next generation to speak directly with employers and gain a better understanding of what options exist for them.
“One of our core values at Ross-Shire Engineering is 'Investing in Our People', and the Heriot-Watt event allowed us to demonstrate this by giving the attendees a chance to speak with Kieran Park, one of our current Graduate Apprentices, to learn about the career pathways we offer at RSE and the support and development available throughout our business.”
Professor Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal for Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, said: "This was a significant milestone for Heriot-Watt University and our commitment to innovative education.
“We were thrilled to provide a platform where young minds could directly interact with potential employers, gaining invaluable insights into their future careers. As well as engaging attendees from across Edinburgh, the Lothians and south of Scotland, we also had guests who had travelled from as far as Perth and Kinross to find out about opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
“It was fantastic to see so many of our current Heriot-Watt Graduate Apprentices and alumni representing the employers, actively involved in recruiting the next generation of talent.”
Graduate Apprenticeships allow learners of all ages and backgrounds to earn while they learn. For example, a Graduate Apprentice might be studying for the first time or upskilling within their current employment.
Heriot-Watt’s Graduate Apprenticeship programmes are designed to help apprentices gain essential practical experience that complements their academic studies, preparing them for future challenges and opportunities. For employers, Graduate Apprenticeships allow them to retain and upskill existing employees and attract new talent.
Heriot-Watt offers the following Graduate Apprenticeship programmes:
- Business Management MA (Hons)
- Business Management: Financial Services MA (Hons)
- Civil Engineering BEng (Hons)
- Construction and the Built Environment BSc (Hons)
- Data Science BSc (Hons)
- Engineering Design and Manufacture (Electronic or Mechanical) BEng (Hons)
- Software Development for Business BSc (Hons)
Spaces on our Graduate Apprenticeship programmes are highly sought-after and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified candidates. Register your interest today at Graduate Apprenticeships - Heriot-Watt University.