Trading & Shipping (Commercial) Graduate Programme 2025

bp is a global company that offers a world of opportunities for professionals as well as those starting out in their career. We’re guided by our purpose and ambition to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and help the world get there too.

What does this mean for you? It means you can expect purposeful work, world-class training and the flexibility to realize your full potential. Not to mention the chance to join a company committed to delivering more sustainable energy for all. Ready to crack on? Your perfect job match awaits.

Your Early Careers Program

Early careers who join the Trading & Shipping (T&S) early careers programme will follow one of these tracks: commercial, trading and analytics. Early careers will follow a structured development offer to accelerate the acquisition of foundational technical skills, experience and knowledge; and application in the business world. The programme supports transition from university to discipline professional and provides a framework of ‘non-technical’ skills to support building personal effectiveness skills.

As one of the world’s most developed commodity traders, T&S keeps the planet’s energy moving. With an extensive portfolio and expertise in physical supply and trading, we enable over 12,000 customers to make the most of their assets – while offering an excellent place to begin a rewarding career.  

T&S is perfectly placed to support the company’s journey to net zero. We’ll need to constantly pursue commercial opportunities. Optimizing our core businesses. Looking for new revenue streams. Striving for more innovative digital and customer solutions, as well as building closer collaboration across bp and beyond. Throughout, the deep expertise and leadership of our people will be key.  

Early Careers Experience at bp

Our graduate programs are 3 years. During this time, you’ll have the opportunity to complete 2 or 3 rotations designed to give you breadth of experience across your chosen business area whilst also supporting you to build technical depth. These rotations will be complemented by a technical development pathway for your discipline, which outlines the technical competencies you are working towards. Alongside this you’ll also complete our Ignite training modules which will support you to build your interpersonal skills.

Throughout the program you’ll have a dedicated support network to provide guidance on the program and advice on career development. You’ll also be a key part of the bp early careers community, with events, socials and the opportunity to network with other early careers from across bp.

Role and responsibilities

About the Trading & shipping development programme
Once hired into the development programme your world-class learning journey will incorporate online and virtual learning with face-to-face classroom and on-the-job training, giving you the behavioural and technical skills you need to build a truly outstanding career. In addition, you'll have a buddy and mentor assigned to you, helping you to navigate the organisation, guide your development and learn what it takes to be successful. 

Our trading & shipping programme is global in nature – wherever you’re based, you’ll benefit from the same outstanding training, development, and support. The rotational structure of our programme provides you with variety which means you’ll be challenged in many ways – all of which will build your confidence, expertise and experience at pace, giving you the flexibility to eventually take your career in the direction that suits you best. We have designed the structure of our programme to allow for a degree of flexibility that create a personal development journey.  

Trading & shipping development track and career pathway

Commercial track

Every year, bp invests billions of dollars searching for new sources of energy, supplying our customers with the fuels they need. You’ll help to ensure we make the best use of our investment for bp and for our customers. We want you to be in the best position to propose new and creative ways to maximize value.  This could see you working in our Marketing & deal Origination teams or in physical operations or other areas which support trading ideas and deals.  The commercial track will help you to develop strong commercial acumen which is supported by the different rotations you will undertake. 

Requirements 

Graduate: To apply for this role, you will need to be in your final year of study and be on track for a 2:1, or have completed your degree with a 2:1 in any discipline.

For this role you are expected to have strong spoken and written English language skills, including business and technical English.  Language skills will be assessed throughout the recruitment process.

Location(s)

This role will be based out of one the following UK offices:

Bp Canary Wharf - 25 North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HZ

Please note: Location will depend on business needs and can change for each rotation on your Early Careers development program, as you move between roles. If you are required to relocate during the program, depending on distance, you may be offered relocation assistance. 

Start date

8th September 2025

Other information

Please note the following when applying:

• You can only apply to one bp early careers opportunity globally per academic year – within this time, we will only process the first application you make. You will be withdrawn from any subsequent applications. 
• Assessment Centres are a key part of the assessment process and will be in person – bp will cover reasonable travel and accommodation costs, in line with the travel policy which will be shared with you. Please ensure you will be available to attend in person. 
• Unless you apply to a role with a location explicitly stated, role locations are not guaranteed – where not stated, you will be placed in a location based on business need.
• Accommodation – once confirmed, where you need or decide to move closer to your location, you are responsible for organising and funding this accommodation.

Adjustments

We are keen to make our recruitment process accessible to all. If you require any adjustments/accommodations, to any stage of the recruitment process, please mention this in the allocated section on your initial application form. Someone will then be in touch to discuss or confirm the adjustments/accommodations as appropriate for you. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss adjustments before applying, please get in touch:

T: +44 1635 584149

E: enquiry@bpgraduates.co.uk

Reward

• Starting Salary: £48,300
• Sign on Bonus: £5,000 (One off payment, subject to tax and national insurance)
• Wellbeing Allowance: Claim up to £1,500 each calendar year (subject to tax and national insurance) for products and services that contribute to physical, mental, financial and social wellbeing
• Flexible Benefits: In addition to your base salary, you’ll receive a flexible allowance (currently 20% of your base salary) that you can take as cash or use to buy a range of extra benefits, such as a pension, critical illness, dental care, personal accident and travel insurance, and our cycle to work scheme.
• Private Medical Insurance: We’ll pay for private healthcare, and you only pay an income tax charge.
• BP Share Plans: You can choose to take part in our share plan and buy bp shares every month.