STEM Graduates into Business

Recruit a skilled graduate
STEM Graduates into Business

Project now closed

The STEM Graduates into Business project ended on 30 June 2021. Due to the nature of the project and the funding requirements for graduates to undertake a minimum six-month internship, we are not able to support any new businesses with this offer.

The University of Plymouth offers support to businesses looking to access skilled graduates in all areas and occupations via the Careers Service. Please email employers.careers@plymouth.ac.uk for further information.

Over 150 businesses supported in Devon

The STEM Graduates into Business project has supported many micro, small and medium-sized businesses with graduate recruitment support as well as graduates from across the UK from computing to mathematics, 3d design to engineering.

  • 24 jobs created
  • Over £1million gross Gross Value Added to the region from graduate retention
  • Over 70% of businesses surveyed intend to retain their graduate employee after the end of their internship
  • Almost 90% of businesses surveyed said their innovation capacity had been improved.

What employers said...

  • " ‘’The graduate worked on our first product and strategically this has changed the nature of our business for the better. It will also be revenue generating.’’
  • " ‘’The graduate helped to create a baseline of data and analysis against which we will set strategic priorities and benchmark progress.’’

What graduates said...

  • " “I have a really rewarding role. I work independently, running my own section of the business – something few graduates get to do!”
  • " "I really felt like I was making a contribution and valued and I don’t think I would have felt that in other graduate positions, where you are the ‘bottom of a pyramid.”
  • " “Local organisations do really valuable work and being involved in this gave me immense job satisfaction."

Recruiting during a pandemic

Read about the experiences of recruiting graduate employees from Devon businesses

Employers we worked with...

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.

This project will run until 30 June 2021, regardless of Britain’s departure from the European Union.

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