Boost for graduate jobs in the West Midlands

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme gives graduates the opportunity to work for companies for between 10 weeks and 36 months and currently has a number of vacancies in the West Midlands.

Graduates become a project manager from day one whilst earning a competitive salary and may have the opportunity to study for a higher degree or professional post graduate qualification.

The University has recently launched a web portal where graduates can register their details to be notified of any suitable KTP vacancies within the West Midlands. There are a number of vacancies for graduates in the region at the moment and the number of jobs available is set to rise over the next two years.

KTP works by forming a three-way partnership between a company, a recently qualified graduate (Associate) and a university in order to develop and deliver a specific, strategic project for the company. A KTP may be short (10 weeks) or longer term (36 months).

David Williams recently completed his KTP with Eurofilms Extrusions Ltd and found his experience as an associate valuable. He said: “The KTP programme has left me taking up an opportunity as a member of the senior management team at Eurofilms, with responsibility for a number of key strategic projects such as new product development and opening new export markets. Not only this but I am now a CIM qualified marketer and have a huge amount of experience to put on my CV. All things which may not have been possible without the KTP.”

Marc Fleetham, Regional Knowledge Transfer Partnership Manager, said: “Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are able to offer recent graduates a fast track into management by giving them responsibility for a strategic project from day one, working within a business and supported by a University expert, to manage a project that delivers real business profit. Many of the companies we have worked with subsequently employed the graduate at the end of their programme."

Established in 1975, KTP is one of the largest national graduate recruitment programmes working across many disciplines and industrial sectors. Recent figures show that around 70% of graduates are offered employment by their host business once their programme has come to an end.

Graduates are encouraged to register at www.wmktp.org.uk to be informed of the latest KTP vacancies. To find out more about becoming an associate visit www.wlv.ac.uk/ktp or visit the KTP stand at the National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham on the 29 and 30 of October.

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Further information

The University is currently leading a consortium of all 12 of the regions universities due to £24.3 million of funding from Advantage West Midlands, the European Regional Development Fund and the Technology Strategy Board. The funding will increase the number of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships available in the region from 70 to 210 by 2013.

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736