STEM Graduates into Business

Recruit a skilled graduate
STEM Graduates into Business


Recruiting new staff may not be a top priority today but, planning ahead, extra staff may be the answer to get your business back up to speed. Contact us to discuss your options...


NEW: Small Business Workforce Fund

If you are adapting your business or currently supporting the COVID-relief effort, the Small Business Workforce Fund can help.

To provide flexibility to businesses facing changing market demands, this temporary fund, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), allows graduates to be employed as a paid-intern for three months to fill any existing skills gaps. 

The fund will provide incentive payments to cover up to 50% of the graduate employee salary – up to £200 per week, or £2,400 over three months.

Incentive payments of up to £2,400

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Devon can recruit skilled, recent graduates within the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields and receive incentive payments of up to £2,400.

The STEM Graduates into Business project, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), supports SMEs to recruit recent graduates with fresh, innovative ideas and the drive to develop professionally. Employed as a paid-intern for either three or six months, STEM Graduates into Business can offer flexibility to small and medium businesses looking to meet changing market demands.

Recruit a skilled graduate

STEM Graduates into Business has supported SMEs in Devon to successfully recruit recent STEM graduates to support their business and fill emerging skills gaps.

Utilising the extensive channels of the University and its partners, the project unlocks opportunities to raise the visibility of your business to graduates whilst advocating the benefits of employment within an SME. The right people with the right skills in your team will energise your business. 

The project provides access to determined graduates with fresh, innovative ideas and the drive to develop professionally.

Recruitment with a difference

  • Incentive payments up to £2,400 , for three, or six month internships.
  • Free advertising on regional and national graduate platforms.
  • Promotion of your vacancies through exclusive University of Plymouth and strategic partner channels.
  • Coordination of the application process including the creation of an eye-catching advert.
  • No recruitment fee. 
Get in touch by emailing stem-graduates@plymouth.ac.uk to find out more.

Kristien Oliver-Purdye, Vualto's new Graduate Developer

Recruiting during a pandemic

"Working directly with the University of Plymouth made complete sense to us, as we could tap into their recent graduate market easily. They took care of the advertising process and were able to present us with a number of potential candidates that all had the skillset we were looking for. With the added bonus of a financial incentive...it really was a win-win situation for us.” Victoria Davies, HR Manager, Vualto

Learn more about the experience of Plymouth company, Vualto.

Employers we work with...

For STEM graduates

Benefits of working for an SME

There are over 5,000 SMEs across Devon that bring much to the local economy in terms of business output and employment. Graduates can overlook them in favour of large, well-known companies and miss out on the unique experience that working with an SME can provide. Working for an SME has many benefits including:
  • opportunities to work on key projects from the start
  • a varied workload in a more personable working environment
  • the potential of being given responsibility from an early stage
  • exposure to cutting-edge innovations and new-to-market products
  • a better chance to get noticed for your achievements by management
  • gaining exposure across the wider business, providing you with a more rounded experience.

Register your interest now and search job opportunities.

Meet the team

Our partners

Project funding

STEM Graduates into Business is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Utilising this funding, the project aims to:

  • address SME innovation challenges through graduate internships focused on transformational business projects
  • raise leadership and management capability levels in SMEs, particularly regarding recruitment and employment
  • create a growing network of graduate employing SMEs across the area, leading to longer-term opportunities for graduates and their retention in the local economy.

The funding for this project is secure until 30 March 2021, regardless of the outcome of Britain’s departure from the European Union.

More information about University of Plymouth projects funded by the European Development Fund