Press Release
Ten successful years for Graduate Placement Scheme
Shetland Islands Council is advertising the next round of its successful Graduate Placement Scheme on Friday. The scheme has been in place since 2001 and aims to actively encourage recent graduates to consider a career within local government.
Placements are offered across a variety of Council service areas, for a period of one year, and are suitable for a wide range of degree subjects. Each placement is divided into two six – month projects to give the graduates a broad experience of Council service delivery in Shetland. They are also provided with a programme of training and development opportunities and, whilst there is no guarantee of continued employment at the end of the scheme, the graduates are able to apply for internal posts which arise during their placement.
Training and Skills Co-ordinator Doreen Thomason, who runs the scheme said:
“The Graduate Placement Scheme continues to be successful because the Council recognises that graduates are a valuable resource. They bring great enthusiasm and energy and are able to offer fresh perspectives on the way we work.
"By removing the “lack of experience” barrier, the Council is able to benefit from the positive contribution that a “fresh pair of eyes” can make and the graduates can gain some important post-qualification experience”.
Previous participants in the scheme have gone on to build successful careers within the Council. Elaine Park was part of the first programme in 2001 and is now the Council’s Transport Strategy Officer. She said:
“I remember being encouraged to apply for the Graduate Placement Scheme and I am very glad I did. I worked initially on a project looking at Care at Home services within Social Work. The research and subsequent pilot in Unst gave me a great sense of achievement. I have been with the Council for 11 years and I am now a qualified project manager, still appreciating the benefits of being involved in the Graduate Placement Scheme.”
Brydon Sinclair took part in the scheme in 2006 and now works for Environment and Energy Services as a Waste Prevention Officer. He said:
“I’ve been with the Council for over five years now. The Graduate Placement Scheme gave me a wide range of experience, various project and tasks to work on – many of which I continue to do now. I was able to apply skills I had developed at uni into “real world” practice, whilst having the opportunity to gain new skills and abilities”.
Ms Thomason added:
“Competition for graduate jobs has certainly increased in recent years. In the 2010 round of the scheme we had seven placements available, four of which went to graduates from outwith Shetland. Folk are clearly willing to travel far for the kind of experience we can offer and we are therefore able to attract the highest quality of graduate”.
This year’s graduates are half way through their second project and are looking to the next stage of their career development.
Craig Baxter, who moved from Dundee to join the scheme said:
“The Graduate Placement has been a fantastic opportunity to gain work experience in environmental protectionand nature conservation, and also to learn more about how local government operates.
“The people I worked with, the places I have visited and the experiences I havegained are alltestament to the contribution Shetland Islands Council make to supporting graduates and to serving the community.
“The Shetland folk are warm and welcoming, the landscape is uniqueand the weather is an experience. I'd encourage everyone seeking adventure, new experiences and smart career moves to apply!"
This year there are 11 placements available across a range of Council service areas. The scheme is open to anyone who has attained their degree between 1 May 2010 and 31 December 2011.
For more information, visit: www.myjobscotland.gov.uk from Friday and search for Shetland Islands Council.
The closing date is 24 June 2011.