Grad Week: Popular graduate programmes

Fulbright Ireland-USA Awards Profile
The Fulbright Commission in Ireland annually awards grants for Irish citizens to study, research or teach in the US and for Americans to do the same in Ireland. These awards provide opportunities for passionate Irish and EU students, scholars and professionals to undertake programmes and collaborate with experts at a US institution or organisation of their choice.

The Fulbright Irish Scholar Awards are grants for Irish citizens, or EU citizens resident in the Republic of Ireland for three or more years, to complete postdoctoral or professional research or lecturing for a period of three months, up to one year.

The worldwide purpose of the Fulbright programme is to increase mutual respect and understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries, through educational and cultural exchange.

The Fulbright Irish Student Awards are grants for Irish citizens, or EU citizens resident in the Republic for more than three years, to complete postgraduate research in the US for a period of four months, up to 12 months. The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship (FLTA) Awards are non-degree grants for Irish citizens, or EU citizens resident in the Republic for more than three years, to teach Irish and enrol in courses at a college in the US over a 10-month period.

Spotlight on graduate programmes

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A selection of popular graduate programmes

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Practical steps graduates can take to help secure that job

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Keeping well at work from the comfort of your home

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Important dates
For those interested in going to the US, the 2022-2023 Irish awards applications opened on August 30th, and will close on October 29th at 4pm.

Lidl Grad Programme
The Lidl Graduate Management Development Programme is a unique programme tailored for each graduate. Its 18-month programme consists of several modules which give graduates a thorough understanding of the business. To help graduates settle in, Lidl has developed and perfected top-class training programmes to teach you everything you need to know about working there.

While on the programme, graduates receive a bespoke training plan designed around their career path and current skills. They spend some time in Lidl stores and warehouses to gain a thorough understanding of the key business areas before entering their chosen department. The programme gives them the opportunity to enjoy both personal and professional development through on-the-job training and a blended learning approach.

The Lidl Graduate Programme is the only City & Guilds/ILM Accredited Graduate Programme in Ireland.

Important dates
Applications for the Lidl Graduate Programme open in September each year.

PwC Graduate Programme
The PwC Graduate Programme is looking to hire about 350 graduates this year, in its seven locations across the country: Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny. PwC is seeking ambitious, enthusiastic individuals with inquiring minds, who thrive working in teams and who have good communication skills.

PwC is looking for graduates from a wide-ranging set of disciplines, such as business, accounting, science, engineering and law, among others. The firm offers graduates ongoing mentorship and support as they pursue their professional accreditation.

Important dates
Closing dates for applications for assurance and risk assurance and tax is October 13th, 2021, while the closing date for applications for consulting is October 11th, 2021.

Deloitte Graduate Programme
The Deloitte Graduate Programme encourages applications from a wide range of disciplines, including business, engineering, maths, science, law, technology and arts.

Opportunities will be available across Deloitte's offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Belfast. Deloitte is hiring graduates for roles across audit, advisory, consulting and taxation, as well as some exciting quantitative and technology-focused programmes.

The firm has a new, refreshed application process, which is under development. It is hoped the changes being made will provide a more interactive and immersive experience for applicants.

Deloitte Ireland is still working in a hybrid format, subject to Government guidance.

Important dates
Applications for the 2022 Graduate Programme open in early September and close on October 13th.

Jameson Graduate Programme
The Irish Distillers Graduate Programme offers graduates a unique opportunity to kickstart their career in marketing on a global stage through the Jameson International Graduate Programme. This programme offers graduates the opportunity to become a Jameson Brand Ambassador, based in one of 30 international markets. Graduates are offered an initial 13-month contract with the opportunity to gain international experience and excellent opportunities for further career progression.

Brand ambassadors come from a variety of backgrounds, such as law, arts and psychology, to business and marketing. As graduates are based in international markets, having an international language is a distinct advantage. The languages the programme typically looks to recruit are French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin and Japanese.

Important dates
Online applications for the 2022 intake open in September.

Aldi
The Aldi Graduate Area Management Programme is a 12-month programme which offers graduates a unique and challenging opportunity to pursue a career in management. After just 15 weeks of the programme, graduates will take on huge responsibility, holding the keys to their own store.

Graduates will work in-store for six months, before transitioning to shadowing more experienced managers, and training with regional teams.

Following the year-long programme, high-performing area managers are offered the opportunity to go on an international secondment, where managers can find themselves heading up a team in head office, or working as an area manager in another country.

Important dates
Applications for the 2022 intake are open until November 30th, 2021.

KPMG Graduate Programme
The KPMG Graduate Programme recruits roughly 400 graduates annually, welcoming applications from students with backgrounds in business, Stem, arts and more. KPMG is seeking ambitious people who want to take their career to the next level. Being named Graduate Employer of the Year 2021 by gradireland, graduates can be assured they will receive the best professional and personal development.

KPMG’s Graduate Programme typically lasts between three and 3½ years, and can continue until at least conclusion of the graduates’ professional exams. KPMG continues to work remotely for the moment, but hopes to move to a hybrid working arrangement shortly, where employees can work in the office, with clients and at home.

Important dates
Online applications are now open and will close in mid-October.

Central Bank of Ireland
Central Bank of Ireland's three-year graduate programme allows graduates to hit the ground running, participating in a number of rotations involving activities, such as contributing to the development of policies, procedures and frameworks, leveraging curiosity to identify and drive continuous improvement initiatives, providing solutions to complex problems that are unique to working at the Central Bank, and developing and enhancing technical and soft skills across a range of areas such as stakeholder engagement, risk management and business strategy.

The Central Bank offers graduates the opportunity to participate in the One Bank Curriculum, a Institute of Bankers and University College Dublin accredited academic programme designed to meet the technical training needs of its employees.

Since March 2020, the graduates have embraced full-time remote working. The Central Bank has been actively supporting them, providing a full suite of working-from-home equipment and maintaining a central focus on the health and wellness supports, ensuring that graduates can continue their career development, manage their workload, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Important dates
Applications for the Central Bank 2022 Graduate programme will open in autumn 2021.

EY Graduate Programme
The EY Graduate Programme is looking to hire more than 300 graduates to start in autumn 2022 across its offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.

The firm offers a world-class career experience, whereby graduates will get to work with Ireland’s leading indigenous entrepreneurial businesses, as well as some of the world’s largest blue chip international organisations, working in lockstep with clients to solve their most complex challenges and support them in areas such as cyber preparedness, digital transformation, mergers and acquisitions strategy, and culture and organisational change.

The firm will be seeking applications from candidates with backgrounds in business and accounting for its traditional service areas of tax, audit, consultancy and strategy and transactions (corporate finance). However, it is increasingly looking for diverse talent with backgrounds in technology, science, engineering, law and humanities. EY offers an unrivalled learning and development programme, supporting graduates in their training by offering full professional exam support via a dedicated learning and development team, exam prizes and awards, and ongoing professional training and development.

Later this year, EY will roll out a new hybrid working model, where all employees will be able to enjoy the flexibility of working either on client site, at home or in the office.

Important dates

Online applications will be open until Wednesday, October 13th.

Musgrave
Musgrave's graduate programme recruits graduates for a variety of careers, in areas such as buying, commercial food leadership, finance, marketing, supply chain, insight and innovation, and IT.

Musgrave is Ireland's leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company. Together with its retail partners, Musgrave supports more than 41,000 jobs across Ireland, in over 1,400 stores and offices, with combined total retail sales of €5.4 billion. Its market-leading brands, that include SuperValu, Centra, Frank & Honest, Donnybrook Fair and Musgrave MarketPlace, feed one in three people in Ireland.

Musgrave was named Graduate Employer of the Year <40 intake at the prestigious annual gradireland Graduate Recruitment Awards for 2021. The Musgrave Graduate Programme aims to attract new talent and develop them into future leaders of the business. It is an experiential development programme which is function specific and aligned to critical future skills for future talent.

Important dates
The 2022 application window opens in September 2021.

The Irish Management Institute (IMI)
The Irish Management Institute (IMI) Graduate Development Programme is unique, in that it is delivered on a consortium basis to a limited number of organisations, meaning that graduates will benefit from meeting and networking with peers in other industries and companies.

The 16-month programme is developed for those who are taking part in a company graduate programme and wish to fast track their personal and skills development.

The learning approach of the programme is focused on assignments and individual and group work to create a learning environment with real-world applications.

The IMI has delivered the programme virtually throughout the pandemic, and it is envisaged the company will move to a face-to-face or blended format in the coming months.