Bright Network member Ryan is joining Rolls-Royce this September as a graduate in their Customer Management department after impressing during his internship.
He spoke to us about the application process for the internship and how he went on to secure his coveted graduate role.
A great reputation
I was initially keen to apply for Rolls-Royce because they are a well respected firm, highly regarded as a manufacturer of leading power systems. Studying an International Relations degree, the global nature of the firm and the work they do with governments was a big draw.
Rolls-Royce have defence contracts with China and other authorities, providing engines for nuclear submarines, aircrafts and much more – this is what really interests me. The more I researched the firm, the more passionate I became about working there.
Their scheme is three and half years long - it's a little longer than a standard programme. This appeals to me as it will give me time to get fully stuck into the scheme. There are also plenty of opportunities to move around the business, gaining as much experience as possible.
The application process
The application process for my internship was a lengthy process – there was a two day assessment centre at their head office in Derby which involved two one hour interviews and a variety of tests and group exercises. It was the first assessment centre I had gone to so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was an excellent experience and I was delighted to be accepted.
The summer internship went really well and I enjoyed the work I did with the firm. It was a natural progression to do the conversion interview for the graduate scheme. Soon after, I was accepted onto the graduate programme - having it all sorted before my third year allowed me to relax and concentrate on my degree.
Starting early
My advice would be to use your first year to gain as much experience as possible. In the summer after first year, I managed to gain work experience in the House of Commons, within a political party, a law firm and in the retail sector. Even though they were all short stints, it gave me a sense of what I wanted to do in the future. I realised a customer-focused role would suit me well. If you have connections, enquiring about opportunities to gain experience is a great place to start.
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Thanks to Ryan for sharing his experience with us.
Let us know where you've secured your work experience, internship or graduate role. We want to celebrate your success with a gift from us and exclusive invitations to evening networking drinks throughout the year.