Manchester Graduate Internship Programme (MGIP)

Talented graduates for short-term work

The University of Manchester has just launched the Manchester Graduate Internship Programme, which aims to provide Greater Manchester based organisations with easy access to graduate talent.

Recent surveys indicate that while over 40% of new graduates from The University of Manchester stay in the area once they finish their studies, a third of these struggle to find graduate-level opportunities to develop and practise their new found skills.  Employers may be unaware of this hidden pool of talent at their doorstep. 

The Manchester Graduate Internship Programme therefore encourages organisations across the Greater Manchester to offer short-term paid positions to Manchester University graduates, to mutual benefit.  Whilst showcasing the myriad career opportunities the City Region can offer, local businesses can employ fresh talent to carry out fixed project work, cover staff absence (eg maternity leave) or generally support day-to-day activity.  Manchester Graduate Internships last between 4 and 12 months and there is a minimum salary commitment of £1000 per month.

An added benefit to organisations is that all interns will receive training in a range of key professional skills.  Training will be provided by business leaders and leading practitioners representing the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

The Co-operative Group has already committed to delivering training workshops and employing several interns.  Hannah Slaney, Graduate Recruitment Manager, comments that; ‘Manchester University graduates can hit the ground running.  I know that I will see immediate results and feel the impact of their contribution from day one.  I also strongly support any initiative which encourages skills retention in Manchester and ultimately the economic growth of the city’. 

In addition there has already been significant interest from small to medium size businesses with a range of companies offering positions in marketing, software development, sales, engineering and more.  Public sector and charitable organisations have also come forward to offer internships, including the Whitworth Art Gallery, George House Trust and Manchester Careers Forum. 

The Manchester Graduate Internship Programme is the brainchild of the MLP, Careers & Employability division at The University of Manchester.  Its director Jane Ratchford, explains that ‘it is vital to the success of our programme that we engage with as many organisations as possible – of all sizes, from all sectors.  We have graduates from every degree discipline looking for internships.  Whatever your needs, we will have a graduate to fit them.  We would however encourage businesses to be open-minded when it comes to degree subjects studied.  We want to demonstrate that graduates from any discipline have a portfolio of skills which can be applied to a wide variety of roles, regardless of their area of academic specialism.’

The Manchester Graduate Internship team would welcome expressions of interest from any organisations based in Greater Manchester who feel they would benefit from the support of an intern in the near future.  They are also keen to hear from anyone who would like to offer support with delivery of training.  Contact Tammy Goldfeld on 0161 275 2828 or email: recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Full details can be found online at Manchester Graduate Internship Programme

The programme is officially supported by MIDAS, Manchester Evening News, The Co-operative Group and Teach First.

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