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First starters on Graduate Intern Scheme

Paid jobs in finance, engineering, design and more

THE first nineteen graduates to benefit from MMU’s brand new paid intern scheme took up their posts this week.

The interns who will work across a range of disciplines from finance, engineering and education to marketing, HR and design are the first intake of up to 100 which be taken on this academic year and offered paid employment for up to 12 months

MMU was praised by the NUS for its commitment to graduate employability: "As youth unemployment continues to grow it is fantastic that Manchester Metropolitan University have introduced a properly paid internship scheme that will really develop the employability of graduates.

“Graduates are crying out for schemes like this which actively develop the skills of interns whilst paying them a wage and the interns bring real benefits to the employer as well.”

Healthcare science

Louise Miller, a Physiology and Pharmacology graduate, began work in the Institute of Healthcare Science on Monday: “The fact that I am going to be able to use my degree is fantastic. There are a lot of grad schemes out there but the vast majority are management and business related and wouldn’t be very science-based so I’m really grateful for this opportunity.”

Through the new MMU Intern scheme, managed by HR and developed in collaboration with Careers and Employability, interns will receive support and development as well as the opportunity to gain graduate level work experience to give them a head start in the job market.

MMU Intern scheme manager and Head of OD, Training and Development Josie Elson said “It was a fantastic experience to meet the first 19 interns at their induction and a key moment for the University. All the interns we take on will, I’m sure, make a valuable contribution to MMU and our students.

“A significant number will be working in student experience related roles and will give us a valuable insight into the needs and issues of our students. They are a great group, full of enthusiasm and determination to make a positive contribution to the University and its students”.

MMU Cheshire opportunities

The first four interns at MMU Cheshire , Loreen Chikwira, Zoe Franklin, Kelly Forrester, and Lucy Whitehead will be working in Student Experience and Learning Support.

Part of the interns role will be acting as a point of contact between students and the university and ensuring that students know about the support and help which is available to them as well as bridging the gap between staff and students.

Loreen, who graduated from Psychology with Youth and Childhood studies in June 2011 says: “I wanted to do this internship because these days it’s more important than ever to have that practical experience, but as well as that I think that together we represent a cross-section of the student population here at Cheshire for example, I’m a mature student and a single mother.”

Sport and Exercise Science graduate Zoe Franklin added “The fact that we are all from different departments means that we can understand issues that students are facing and identify areas of the student experience across the university that could be improved. “

More to come

A further 6 interns will start in the next few weeks. Proposals have already been received for a further 9 opportunities to start in March. The deadline for proposals for internships to start in March is the 28th January.

A further cohort of opportunities to start in September will be available to students graduating in July.

Published Friday, 13th January 2012