New initiative to help graduates develop better workplace skills

Graduate Works has launched a new initiative to help graduates develop better workplace skills during the early years of their career through a series of pilots in the West Midlands.

The scheme is the first of its kind in the UK that helps SMEs train and improve the performance of their graduates. Typically SMEs do not have the number of graduates or the necessary in-house development skills to warrant building and delivering a dedicated graduate development programme. Consequently, graduates are left to develop themselves - a sink or swim strategy that often does not allow the really talented to shine.

Graduate Works, supported by Advantage West Midlands' Business & Professional Services Cluster, has run a unique pilot scheme that brought together a variety of businesses and delivered high quality one-to-one and group support to their graduates.

The programme was specifically designed to help with the development and retention of graduates in the region and address the need to increase workforce skills levels. This first pilot has also proven that it is capable of driving increased demand for graduate level workers.

The first scheme was trialled in Stoke on Trent, working with 25 graduates from local SME businesses in the professional services cluster, and further pilot schemes are now being rolled out in the Black Country and in the North Staffordshire area.

Today's businesses need graduates who have both academic skills and the "savvy" to get things done. The Graduate Works programmes build the awareness and behaviours needed to be an outstanding employee and achieves this by providing one-to-one support, developing soft skills and providing access to the previously untapped expertise within their places of work.

The key output is that a graduate is more confident and more focused about what they need to deliver for the business. This in turn means that they start to add more value to the business more quickly - which is what employers are asking of the graduates they take on.

The scheme works closely with employers and graduates' line managers to create a support network that reinforces the training and guidance that businesses across the West Midlands are already delivering.

Will Jodrell, sales and marketing director of Graduate Works said: "We're very excited that our pilot programme has thrived in Stroke on Trent, which has enabled Graduate Works to launch a second scheme in the Black Country.

"This is the first initiative of its kind in the country to specifically support SMEs that may not have the capacity to provide in-house training but who still have a wealth of extremely talented graduates to develop. It is crucial for companies of any size to devote time and energy to the progress of their graduates, to ensure that our future business leaders want to work and live in the West Midlands when they have left university.

"The support of Advantage West Midlands highlights how first-class training and development can help retain gifted graduates in the region and attract young talent from other parts of the country to the West Midlands."

Graduate Works is a specialist development company established to provide innovative and effective solutions for businesses that recruit graduates. Please visit www.graduateworks.com for more information.