IF you’re jetting off shortly for a break, there’s a good chance that the aircraft you fly in will be powered by Rolls-Royce’s aero engines. The company is one of the world’s biggest gas turbine manufacturers and has 54,000 engines in service with at least 500 commercial airlines, as well as 160 armies and 80 navies.

Rolls-Royce is seen as one of Britain’s most sought after graduate recruiters. For the past two years it has been rated the employer of choice by engineering students and is one of the highest-ranking industrial companies in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers. Much of the company’s appeal lies in the quality of its graduate schemes and new recruits join either the “professional excellence” or “leadership development” programmes for up to two years.

The professional excellence scheme is functionally-based and provides the hands-on experience needed to become professionally competent in fields such as engineering, logistics, marketing or commercial management and to achieve chartered status or other relevant qualifications.

The emphasis for those joining the leadership development programmes is slightly different. Although it does include practical training in at least one of Rolls-Royce’s main business or technical functions, the scheme sets out to develop the company’s future leaders. Mobility is essential and new graduates are usually based at several different UK locations during their training, plus additional international placements.

The scheme includes coaching from senior managers and successful graduates are expected to fill key general management or technical specialist roles early in their careers.

Subsequent opportunities will also be focused on accelerated development through the organisation.

Rolls-Royce is recruiting for its 2006 graduate intake and accepts applications from all degree disciplines, with a relevant technical degree needed for engineering positions.



Martin Birchall is editor of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers

NUMBER 23

What does it do? Not to be confused with the German-owned car company of the same name, Rolls-Royce is one of Britain’s leading engineering businesses, producing gas turbine engines for aerospace, marine and energy customers in 120 countries. It has more than 35,000 employees worldwide, with 21,000 in the UK.

What does it employ graduates for? The 150 vacancies across the company’s professional excellence and leadership development programmes provide opportunities in nine areas of the business including engineering, finance, logistics, marketing, purchasing and operations management.

Where are the jobs? Rolls-Royce has four main UK sites: Derby, Bristol, Glasgow and Ansty in Warwickshire; plus a further 25 smaller locations.

What are salaries like? The professional excellence programme pays new graduates £23,000 while leadership development graduates can expect to start on £25,000.

What’s the competition like? Rolls-Royce typically receives at least 20 applications per vacancy for its graduate schemes.

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