While the overall national unemployment rate is 7.8 percent, among the 16-to-20 age group the rate is more than 18 percent, according to the Office for National Statistics.
 
For young people, getting into a good graduate training programme straight after university can make a big difference to their employability over the long term.

Energy giant RWE npower, which employs 13,000 people in the UK, offers a programme that gives graduates experience working in a range of roles related to supplying homes and businesses with gas and electricity, operating power stations and producing wind and hydroelectric generation.

Successful applicants work in such areas as human resources, energy services, finance, business analysis, sales, marketing, quantitative risk and customer services.

“Retention of our best people is important for our continued success,” the company says. “We recognise that we must offer flexibility, opportunities for personal development and progression, along with an environment where our people feel able to provide feedback and ideas.”

A four-part recruitment programme for the graduate scheme begins with an online application form, a test, a telephone interview and ends in an assessment centre.

Successful applicant Ridaa Husain found the programme beneficial because of the variety of work she did in the marketing department.

“I found that npower’s marketing graduate scheme offered a lot of choice and flexibility in terms of placement options and locations,” Husain said. “The fast-changing and challenging nature of the energy industry further attracted me to the scheme.”

The company also offers a “Future Leaders” competition, allowing a select group of winners the chance to travel to the Arctic.