Whether in the private or public sector, marketing is an essential feature of all types of organisations.
A marketing graduate scheme can give you the training and skills to kickstart a prosperous career in marketing. It will give you practical insights into the functions of the business and you will be able to see how the marketing team interacts with other departments.
We’ve put together a list of great marketing graduate schemes or roles to help you.
Virgin Media Commercial Marketing Graduate Scheme
Virgin Media is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom.
Virgin Media is one of the most recognised brands in the UK and with this graduate scheme you will work at the forefront of the entertainment industry, helping to create award-winning campaigns.
The main two areas of business you will be specifically working in on the scheme are Marketing and Commercial.
The scheme lasts for two years and is located in Hammersmith, London. You’ll be paid a salary of £29k, plus a £2k welcome bonus and other benefits.
Newton Europe Graduate Scheme
Newton is a UK-based specialist in operational improvement. Their Graduate scheme is based in their Head Office in Kingston Bagpuize, Oxfordshire.
With Newton Europe, you will take part in a series of three six-month placements in one of three different functions: operations, people and marketing, and IT. This will give you the opportunity to add value, learn skills, and gain on-the-job experience within an entrepreneurial growing business.
They offer an attractive salary of £31,000 – £34,000 plus a £3,000 joining bonus.
Tesco Business Graduate Programme 2021
The Tesco Business Graduate scheme is based in Welwyn Garden City. Their two-year programme is aimed to ensure you gain a breadth of valuable business experience early in your career.
Tesco offers the opportunity to work in different parts of their business during the programme, giving you the broadest experience possible in areas that need your unique skill set the most.
You will be able to take part in a variety of roles from marketing and food buying, to CSR and supporting operations in their distribution, store and online channels.
According to the scheme, you will either be supporting a key project or within a role, making a positive difference to their customers, colleagues and communities.
It offers a great starting salary of £28,000.
Find out more about the business graduate scheme at Tesco.
Nestle Graduate Marketing Scheme
Nestlé S.A. is a Swiss multinational food and drinks processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Switzerland. It is the largest food company in the world, measured by revenues and other metrics, since 2014.
All their graduate programmes comprise a one-week induction plus two leadership training interventions, a cross-functional business project and a graduate development centre.
The programme lasts 18 months to 3 years depending on function. With the marketing programme, you will be joining their team as an Assistant Brand Manager.
On the marketing programme, you will be able to take the lead in a range of areas as you learn about everything from digital and shopper marketing to budget management.
You will also get the chance to work on some famous brands, such as Felix, KitKat, or Quality Street.
Associated British Foods Marketing Scheme
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Associated British Foods is a British multinational food processing and retailing company whose headquarters are in London.
ABF offers a two-year scheme where you can gain diverse experience in marketing across at least two different businesses and roles.
You will get the opportunity to project manage the development of new products, brief new packaging designs, and execute marketing campaigns including digital, press, TV and radio.
You have the responsibilities of analysing, understanding and interpreting brand performance data and making recommendations to the wider business to hit commercial targets.
Centrica Marketing Graduate Role
Centrica is a British multinational energy and services company with its headquarters in Windsor, Berkshire.
The scheme offers four placements where you will learn all about how to market products and brands including British Gas, Hive and Local Heroes. During the process, you will learn to build key commercial marketing skills and gain experience in developing strategies and project plans.
There is a wide variety of teams you could potentially join, including their Commercial, Brand, Product Development, Customer Marketing, Advertising, Sales, and Digital Advertising teams. Your activities could cover a range of things from gathering customer insight to developing material for TV and social media campaigns.
GlaxoSmithKline Future Leaders in Commercial Management
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a British multinational pharmaceutical company.
The scheme involves having three stretching rotations within their sales and marketing functions, where you will take on important roles and gain experience across the Consumer Healthcare Commercial business.
In the marketing rotation, you can work in areas such as shopper marketing and brand management. You will learn about their brands, gather insights into consumer and buyer preferences, and understand which factors influence overall sales.
PepsiCo Future Leaders Programme, Commercial (Marketing)
PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational food, snack and beverage corporation.
With their Future Leaders Programme in Commercial Marketing, you’ll do 3 rotations over 3 years across roles which could include: shopper marketing, franchise marketing, brand management, account management and digital marketing.
You will get a clear training package, tailored support and a mentor from the Marketing leadership team for the entire length of the program. They offer a great starting salary of £30,000 per annum.
Find out more about early career opportunities at PepsiCo.
BlackRock – Marketing & Communications – 2021 Full-Time Analyst Program
BlackRock, Inc. is an American global investment management corporation based in New York City.
Their Full-Time Analyst Program is a multi-year scheme designed to empower and support Analysts in connecting their personal passions and strengths to BlackRock’s mission, principles and purpose.
Procter & Gamble – Marketing Graduate Role
The Procter & Gamble Company is an American multinational consumer goods corporation.
Their marketing graduate role will have you working on one of their brands, developing marketing plans and identifying specific marketing tactics to build on consumer, shopper and customer insights.
From the beginning you will be doing a full-time job in marketing, managing work on one of their global brands they offer candidates both formal training as well as day-to-day mentoring from your manager.
TPP – Communications & Marketing
The Phoenix Partnership Ltd is a software company based in Horsforth, Leeds.
TPP’s Communications & Marketing team manage all aspects of the company’s image, develop its product marketing strategies, foster important relationships, and grow the company’s global brand.
Their recent projects have included a complete marketing campaign for a smartphone app in China, speech-writing for an international TED conference, coordinating a government trade mission to India, and preparing digital content for events in Africa.
The candidate’s responsibilities will include things such as developing product marketing strategies, managing international events, developing and maintaining high-level relationships, and running all social media operations.
The closing date for applications is 20th December 2020.
They offer an incredible starting salary of £45,000.
Arm – Global Marketing Graduate/Specialist
Arm Limited is a British semiconductor and software design company owned by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group.
Arm has an opportunity for a Global Marketing Graduate/Specialist to join the Outbound Marketing team of Arm’s Client Line of Business.
The role will involve coordinating the group’s technical and product marketing content online, executing a digital marketing strategy, and liaising with some of the leading experts in the industry to support their client marketing strategy.
To apply you will need a bachelor’s degree preferably in a technical discipline, business, marketing or communications.
What are the best marketing graduate schemes UK?
There are many reputable and well-regarded marketing graduate schemes in the UK. Some of the best marketing graduate schemes in the UK include:
- Unilever Future Leaders Programme: This graduate scheme offers a variety of marketing roles across Unilever’s global brands. The programme includes training, mentoring, and real-world experience to help graduates develop their skills and grow their careers.
- L’Oreal Graduate Scheme: L’Oreal offers a range of graduate schemes in marketing, including brand management, digital marketing, and consumer insights. The scheme includes training and development, mentorship, and the opportunity to work on live projects.
- Diageo Graduate Programme: Diageo offers a marketing graduate programme that provides graduates with the opportunity to work on some of the world’s most iconic alcohol brands. The programme includes training, mentorship, and real-world experience to help graduates develop their skills and advance their careers.
- Nestle Academy: Nestle offers a marketing graduate scheme that provides graduates with the opportunity to work across a range of Nestle’s brands and products. The scheme includes training, mentorship, and real-world experience to help graduates develop their skills and grow their careers.
- Mars Marketing Graduate Programme: Mars offers a marketing graduate programme that provides graduates with the opportunity to work on some of the world’s most beloved brands, including Snickers, M&Ms, and Skittles. The programme includes training, mentorship, and real-world experience to help graduates develop their skills and advance their careers.
These are just a few examples of the best marketing graduate schemes in the UK. It is important to research each scheme and company thoroughly to find the one that best fits your career goals and aspirations.
Career Progression
All the Marketing Graduate Schemes offer attractive starting salaries. Completing one of the schemes will give you invaluable experience in the world of marketing and set you up for a successful career in the future.
You will also learn many transferable skills if you find out you are no longer interested in pursuing marketing. After the scheme is finished you may be offered a full-time job, or you may want to look at joining other companies.
Marketing graduate schemes are a great way for recent graduates to gain practical experience, develop their skills, and kick-start their careers in the marketing industry. With the right preparation and mindset, you can successfully apply for and secure a position in a marketing graduate scheme.
If you are interested in working in other sectors, here you can read about graduate schemes in supply chain, technology, and finance.
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