D&G COUNCIL GRADUATE SCHEME APPLICATIONS PROCESS UNDERWAY
Written by author on May 6, 2014
To illustrate their commitment to creating employment opportunities for young people, 
Council Leader Ronnie Nicholson said of the scheme; “Building the local economy is a top priority for our Council. That’s why committed to creating and providing young people with employment opportunities. The Graduate Placement scheme delivers this commitment. The scheme provides the chance for graduates to gain valuable experience in a real workplace environment. It is our hope that this experience will lead to graduates in Dumfries and Galloway gaining employment in local companies and starting a prosperous career in our region.”
Last year’s placement opportunities proved a big success with the placement graduates. Nadine Paterson, who worked in the Welfare Reform team within Community and Customer Services said of the programme; “My project was to work on the very contentious issue of Welfare Reform. I would definitely recommend this placement to any recent graduate. It is fantastic experience and a great way to get into the working world. It allows you to network, see how local governments function and if anything it enables you to see what career path you want to take.
I applied for a job within the Revenues department of the Council a few months before the placement was set to end, and I was offered a 2 year contract. The Graduate placement and the experience I have gained from it allowed me to be confident in applying for this job; it also means that I am able to work within the same team as I have been with for the past 6 months.”
Nadine’s support for the placement scheme were seconded by David Morton. David held a position in the Business Improvement Team in the Chief Executive Service. David said; “The graduate programme gave me the chance to prove myself in a working environment. I worked with the Business Improvement Team where my role was to design an interactive resource which highlighted the Council’s significant investment in improvement. This feature is available to all staff within the Council and provides a structured and standardised approach to all our improvement activities.
I would highly recommend the scheme as it gives you the opportunity to put your Educational achievements into practice in a challenging role where you will receive the support to develop your capabilities and produce work which will be invaluable to your portfolio for the rest of your career.”
The recruitment process is underway now for the ten new placements. A copy of the Graduate Experience Employment Programme prospectus can be downloaded from the Council’s website at www.dumgal.gov.uk/graduate
The closing date for Applications is Friday 16 May. If you’re interested, don’t leave it too late to get your application form in.
