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Dedicated duo given career boost

Two Darlington companies have been able to bolster their workforce by recruiting talented graduates through an innovative º£½ÇÖ±²¥ scheme.

Populus Select, an energy, oil and petrochemical recruitment specialist and Mech-Tool Engineering have both reaped the benefits of the Graduates for Business initiative. Graduates for Business, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, helps talented and ambitious graduates get their foot on the career ladder by linking them with small and medium sized enterprises in the North East.

Adam Roberts, 25, completed his LLB (Hons) Law at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ before going on to gain a LLM Criminal Law. He accessed the Graduates for Business scheme and was linked with Populus Select, which has offices in Darlington, London and Canada.

Originally Adam joined on a three month contract but he has made such an impression that his position has now been made permanent and he is employed as a full time consultant.

'There is still a lot to learn within the company, but it is a great position to be in,' enthused Adam.

'I have a position of responsibility and am able to manage large assignments. Recently I have been working on regional European management roles which are a fantastic experience.

'I couldn’t recommend the Graduates for Business scheme highly enough. It enabled me to harness my skills and ambition and find permanent employment at a company where I can achieve great things.'

Sim Hall, Managing Director at Populus Select, said he would definitely consider using the scheme again after being hugely impressed by the quality of Adam’s work.

He added: 'Adam brought a new perspective to the company and there was no hesitation in making his position permanent. The scheme has been fantastic and there has been a great deal of support throughout the whole process. It’s excellent to see º£½ÇÖ±²¥ is not only helping graduates find employment, but at the same time examining ways they can help support regional businesses.'

The Graduates for Business scheme is open to all graduates Paul Heslop, 22, a business graduate, found out about the scheme through º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s website.

He joined Darlington-based Mech-Tool and has now secured a full time position as a Market Researcher – identifying new markets for the company and communicating these opportunities to senior figures.

Paul, who is from Bishop Auckland, said: 'I am in a new job within a new department which is giving me the opportunity to really use my own initiative. I am really pleased that I found out about the scheme and that it directed me towards this job.'

Laura Woods, the University’s Director of Academic Enterprise, said: 'Graduates for Business is one of a number of schemes that the University runs, providing a unique opportunity for graduates to kick-start their careers. And of course it also offers tailored help for regional businesses to seek out young talent. It’s always satisfying to hear about the success of graduates who make such a strong contribution while on the scheme that they are offered full time positions by the employer.'

For more information on º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s business services, call 01642 384580.

The Graduate Recruitment and Placement Project, of which the Graduates for Business programme is a part, is part financed by the North East European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit the.

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