Graduates who are keen to gain global skills will welcome the news that DIY giant Kingfisher has launched a graduate programme, which will give them experience both in the UK and abroad.
The Kingfisher group, which is responsible for the B&Q brand and has operations in France, Poland, Russia and China, will gives its first intake of graduate trainees the chance to spend one year at B&Q in the UK before spending a subsequent year at the group’s Brico Dépôt business in France.
The scheme is “designed to fast-track young talent into commercial roles across the organisation”.
Graduates will work in a variety of departments in roles including brand management, category management and product buying.
Starting salaries for the scheme will be £28,000 and although graduates will be British, they must be fluent in French.
The initiative forms part of the company’s ‘Creating the Leader’ plan which aims to create a “talent pipeline of product buyers and other key commercial roles”.
Liz Bell, Kingfisher group talent development director Liz Bell, said: “This exciting scheme offers graduates a genuinely international training experience within our commercial departments, which represent the core of any retailing business.
“We received more than 500 applicants for the places and our aim is to extend the programme to more of the businesses within Kingfisher.”
The new scheme follows the introduction of B&Q’s first graduate scheme for four years, the ‘Fast Track’ Retail Management Programme.
If you have just graduated, here are just a few ways you can find your ideal job:
Online: Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be the perfect way to secure a graduate job. Post a notice on your wall that you are looking for work and friends, family and other contacts will spread the message far and wide, potentially landing you your first position. Putting key words in your interests may also help your profile be picked up more easily by search engines. You can also use the site to act as a platform for your blog or small business, through the creation of a Facebook page and ask others to ‘like’ it to increase the page’s and your popularity.
Offline: Attend industry networking events to gain access to leading players in a company and exchange your contact details, before sending a follow-up email. This could lead to an informal interview or a graduate internship offer.