Why Choose an Avove Graduate Programme?
Explore the benefits of graduate programmes at Avove
At Avove, we are passionate about nurturing the next generation of talent through offering comprehensive graduate schemes that enable you to develop your skills and grow your career. We’ve worked hard to develop graduate programmes that provide real value to colleagues who are taking their first steps into their career. So, if you’re looking for a graduate role within a business that cares and want to work in an industry where you can make a real difference, an Avove Graduate Programme could be the best option for you.
If you’re wondering how our graduate schemes can benefit you, you’re in the right place! We’re going to take you through exactly what a graduate scheme offers and why you should choose Avove as the place to take your first steps into an exciting and rewarding career in utilities.
Ready to find out everything you need to know about our graduate schemes? Let’s go!
What is a graduate scheme?
So, before we jump into what our graduate schemes have to offer at Avove, let’s explore what a graduate scheme actually is and what you should expect from a graduate role.
Graduate schemes or graduate programmes are a great first step into your career after you have completed your studies at university. Graduate programmes can last between 1 and 3 years and can offer:
- A structured training programme
- Hands on experience
- Coaching and mentoring
- Support with additional professional qualifications
Depending on the type of graduate programme, you could work in one specialist role, gaining in-depth experience and knowledge within that specialism or you could rotate around different business functions to acquire experience in different roles and departments.
Why choose a graduate scheme?
Once you’ve finished your studies, you may be wondering whether it would be best to choose a graduate scheme or find a junior role within your chosen field. Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for in your next step, but in general, graduate schemes can offer better training, development and mentor opportunities compared to typical job roles. This is because graduate roles are developed specifically for graduates and your needs at this stage in your career.
Through embarking on a graduate programme you can gain a solid foothold within your chosen industry, exploring how it works and how you can build a successful career. It offers a smooth transition from being a student to becoming an employee, allowing you to learn the basics of working within a professional setting for the first time, as well as building industry-specific experience. You can also have the opportunity to gain professional qualifications within your graduate scheme, which can help you to grow your career quicker and gain a professional advantage in the future.
What is the best graduate scheme?
The best graduate scheme for you depends on your career aspirations and the role and industry you’re looking to build a career in. For example, a finance graduate role will have different responsibilities and structure to an engineering graduate role. The best way to choose the best graduate scheme for you is to look at the type of industry you’re looking to work in and researching companies that offer graduate schemes within your chosen field and what they have to offer that will facilitate your personal and professional development.
What do our graduate programmes offer?
So, now you know what a graduate programme is and the benefits of embarking on one, let’s explore what our graduate programmes can offer to you.
Our graduate roles are more than just a job. They are a two-year, comprehensive programme that offers the best start into building a career within the utilities industry. Our graduate programmes enable you to:
- Learn from our experienced colleagues
- Receive mentoring from industry experts
- Take part in masterclasses
- Attend development days
- Meet and work alongside other graduates
- Benefit from bespoke graduate training
Whether you’re looking to build a career working out on site or are looking for an office-based role, you will receive the same comprehensive training, hands-on experience and opportunities to make a difference and progress your career.
If you’re looking to work for a business who genuinely cares about your personal and professional development and within an industry where you can make a real impact, then an Avove graduate programme is an ideal opportunity for you.
Where are our graduate schemes based?
We have sites and offices all over the UK including:
- Glasgow
- Durham
- Yorkshire
- Chorley
- Warrington
- Coventry
- Birmingham
Although some roles are based at a particular site or office location, most graduates will have the opportunity to visit and collaborate with colleagues across locations.
Examples of Graduate Schemes at Avove
We regularly update our site with a wide variety of two-year graduate programmes across our sites and departments. To give you a taste of the type of roles available at Avove, here is an overview of some of the roles we offer.
Graduate Civil Engineering roles
Completed your degree in Civil Engineering and looking for your first role in the industry? Our graduate civil engineers work within our Design & Construct teams and play a key role in delivering our projects for our clients. Graduate Civil Engineers will work on a wide variety of projects covering wastewater and water networks and treatment works.
Graduate Civil Engineer duties and responsibilities
- Undertaking outline and detail design for projects within specified timescales
- Assisting with design support activities during construction and carrying out site visits, surveys and inspections
- Preparing and checking feasibility studies, inspection, assessment and technical reports and other written documents to ensure compliance
- Preparing and checking design approach, calculations, drawings and documents
Graduate Project Management roles
If you have a degree in project management or business management or are a person who is highly organised, detailed oriented and impeccable attention to detail, our Graduate Project Manager roles could be the best first step into your career. Our Graduate Project Managers work on a variety of projects within our water or wastewater contracts. They collaborate with the Principal Project Manager, the project team and the client to ensure the successful delivery of projects.
Graduate Project Manager duties and responsibilities
- Learning to monitor and review delivery and financial performance, identifying any issues and helping to correct them
- Assisting in managing cost reconciliation and work within our internal commercial and finance team to make sure all aspects of the cost implications are covered
- Collaborating with our internal design team
- Understand and gain experience on how to create and maintain a programme throughout the pre-construction and ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) phases off a scheme and hand over to the delivery team for construction
- Gain experience in project managing the delivery team throughout the construction process and liaise with the delivery team throughout the lifecycle of the project
- Complete health and safety audits and environmental inspections, being accountable for safety and compliance auditing
Graduate Estimator roles
Completed a degree with strong links to business, data or finance, but looking for a different role within the industry? Our Graduate Estimator roles could offer the right opportunity for you. Our graduate estimators work on a range of key civil engineering and MEICA (Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Control and Automation) and design & build projects.
Graduate Estimator duties and responsibilities
- Learn how to assist in the bid process from PQQ to tender submission
- Support with detailed, analytical tenders and estimates from first principles within defined timescales
- Understand how to maintain and update records of tenders, including change control
- Assist in preparing comprehensive briefing packs for the Operational Project Teams on all successful tenders
- Identifying and communicating programme and risk-related issues
Graduate Marketing & Communications roles
When you think about marketing graduate programmes, utilities may not be the first industry you think of, but there are so many exciting roles to be found within utilities! Our marketing graduates assist our Marketing and Communications team to showcase who we are and what we do across our internal and external channels
Marketing & Communications Graduate duties and responsibilities
- Assisting with delivering internal and external communications
- Writing, editing and proofreading key messages
- Updating the website and developing new content
- Keeping up to date with digital trends and recommending improvements
- Analysing website and social media performance and providing reports
- Supporting the development of our internal communications newsletters and campaigns
- Supporting internal and external events
Hear from our current graduates
You should now have a clear understanding of what our graduate schemes can offer to you, but you’re probably wondering what it is like to work for us? Well, we sat down with some of our current graduates to find out their experiences of our graduate programmes.
Within the first six months of my graduate programme at Avove, I had the chance to work with a variety of teams on exciting projects. I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with people from different backgrounds and exploring sustainable, nature-based solutions. This role has helped me to grow both technically and professionally.
I wholeheartedly recommend Avove’s graduate programme for its commitment to nurturing talent and providing meaningful opportunities. It’s a great place to start your career and make a real impact in the industry.”
Tanya Dembla
Graduate Engineer
“Being a Finance Graduate has allowed me to gain experience in a variety of roles, alongside studying for my CIMA chartered accountancy. I have had rotations in the transactional services team, the central finance team and I am currently placed in the forecasting, planning and analysis team. Through these rotations I have been able to greatly develop my practical knowledge of accounting, while expanding my view of Avove.
Everyone at Avove has been very helpful and flexible with my studying which helps take the pressure off when it comes to exam time. I would recommend the Avove Graduate Scheme as it is a great opportunity to develop your practical skills in finance while achieving your qualifications with the support of everyone in the team.”
James Nuttall
Finance Graduate
”Being an Engineering Graduate at Avove has been incredibly rewarding experience. The programme offers hands-on opportunities to work on vital water infrastructure projects, while being supported by a knowledgeable and approachable team. I’ve developed invaluable technical expertise, gained deep industry insights, and been empowered to take charge of my growth. For anyone seeking a graduate role with real-world impact and excellent growth opportunities that seamlessly flows into their future career aspirations, Avove is the place to be.”
Muhammad Abdullah Ahmed
Graduate Engineer
Kickstart your career: apply to our graduate schemes today!
Are you ready to make the first step into a fulfilling and exciting career in the utilities industry? Then you belong at Avove.
Whether you’re looking to get stuck in working onsite or prefer to work behind the scenes in one of our office-based graduate programmes, we have the opportunity for you. Explore our Graduate Programme page to find out everything you need to know about the programmes we offer, how they will benefit you and apply to our opportunities.