February, 2010

Hampshire wins internship funding

The region’s graduates and local employers are set to benefit from a successful funding bid to run a Hampshire-wide internship scheme.

Southampton Solent University in partnership with the universities of Southampton and Winchester has been awarded a £128,000 slice of Central Government funding to create 80 internships in the Hampshire area by the end of the year.

The Government funded internship programme supported by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) will support businesses to recruit and get maximum benefit from a graduate intern. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will be administering the £13.6 million fund, which aims to provide 8,500 graduate internships across the UK.

Southampton Solent University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Van Gore said:

"This is great news for graduates and the local economy. The scheme will boost graduate job prospects and help retain much needed higher skills that will benefit the region’s business community."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has welcomed the partnership between universities, the Government and the FSB, which has made the internship scheme possible. He said:

"We are committed to supporting young people as they develop in their careers, which is why we have invested over £13 million in new internships, and in the training and mentoring of people taking them up.

Almost 7,000 places are now being offered by universities across the country, and I am pleased to see so many universities working with the FSB and the Government to give graduates this great opportunity and first taste of working life.

By Backing Young Britain and working with small businesses through these difficult times, we can help ensure that we secure sustainable economic growth for the future."

Graduate Jobs South, the regional graduate retention initiative will co-ordinate the scheme in Hampshire.  Each internship will run for a minimum of 12 weeks. 2008/9 graduates will be targeted, and the scheme is open to any unemployed graduate who wishes to find employment in Southampton, Winchester and the South.

Businesses will receive £1,350 towards the intern’s salary and GJS will advertise and short-list the prospective candidates for prospective employers.

More than 60 businesses have already expressed an interest in the scheme which is now live on the GJS website www.graduatejobsouth.co.uk.

For further information about the scheme contact GJS Project Manager Meredith Smith on 023 8031 9734 or email meredith.smith@solent.ac.uk

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Further information about the Government funded graduate internship programme can be found at www.hefce.ac.uk
• Graduate Jobs South is run by Southampton Solent University with support from the Universities of Southampton, Winchester and Chichester to help graduates find employment related to their studies in the South.