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NTU Employability's Spotlight Series - Edition Three: Graduate Internship Scheme

Part three of our Employability Spotlight Series introduces the annual Future You Graduate Internship Scheme - giving businesses from any sector in the UK, the opportunity to take on NTU talent for a fully-funded, six-week placement.

    Student reading at desk

    The Graduate Internship Scheme took place over two intakes during August and September 2021 and was open to any NTU graduate classed as unemployed or underemployed, who had graduated in the last year. Eligible graduates were matched to roles submitted by a wide variety of employers. This year’s scheme was the biggest yet, featuring:

    • Over 400 roles submitted by employers (including 94 from internal NTU departments).
    • 240 employers engaged in the scheme.
    • 156 graduates completed an internship.
    • 44 graduates were offered an extension to the internship.

    Creating Long-Term Impacts

    This scheme provided an excellent opportunity for employers to offer valuable work experience to graduates at zero cost to their organisation. Graduates were able to develop their skills within fields relevant to their career path, while employers who had not previously recruited graduates, accessed fresh ideas and skills from NTU talent.

    • 98% of all employers were positive about the scheme and would take part in future intakes,
    • 93% of graduates felt that the internship has positively impacted their career and business idea.

    Spotlight Story - Saffa Designs

    A vital support mechanism for SMEs, the Graduate Internship Scheme proved fruitful for local business Saffa Designs, who were looking for support with their copywriting:

    Kris Van Wellen, 2021 (Saffa Designs)

    I partnered with NTU originally as we had hundreds of products that we needed fresh copywriting for, which isn't a key strength of mine…. We have taken students from a range of courses now who have all been phenomenal

    Saffa Designs sell a unique range of homemade Prints, Framed Artwork, Homewares and Personalised Gifts through their website. A small, family run business based in Nottingham, Saffa Designs products are sold in the UK and worldwide, with production labs in USA, Australia and Netherlands to speed up delivery and reduce their carbon footprint.

    Not only does the scheme provide resource and ideas to the organisation, but also experience for students to apply their academic knowledge to real-life projects – becoming the brand and implementing this in their work

    "Taking on a range of students for our product copywriting has added fresh perspective to our website. All students have written with our 'voice' but have given their own perspectives to our artwork.” (Kris Van Wellen, 2021 (Saffa Designs)

    Saffa designs felt the impact of the Graduate Internship Scheme almost immediately, by improving product SEO and customer satisfaction – “[Their new] product descriptions have enhanced our organic SEO efforts, whilst also helping customers pair our art with other home accessories to enhance their home décor”.

    But it doesn’t stop there, as a result of the scheme, Saffa Designs "have now started new projects with a focus on social media and blog writing, as well as still taking product copywriters on, because of the success from the original projects we ran with NTU“.

    Examples of the work produced by NTU students during their time on the Graduate Internship Scheme can be found below:

    There are many more success stories to share following the completion of the 2021 Graduate Internship Scheme. Keep up-to-date with the latest news on our website and by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter, and look out for the final instalment of our Employability Spotlight Series.

    Graduate Internship Scheme 2022

    The team are now accepting internship vacancy submissions for the 2022 Graduate Internship Scheme intake. Find out more about getting involved by exploring our brand-new guide.

    Vacancy details can be submitted directly here, or contact grad.internship.2022@ntu.ac.uk for further information.