A graphic design graduate has secured a full time job after taking part in one of De Montfort University’s pioneering employability schemes.
Ilya Nasedkin collected his BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree from DMU in July this year.
He took up an internship with EaziApps, which delivers mobile apps and websites to customers nationwide from its base in Evington, Leicester, under the DMU Graduate Champions internship scheme.
EaziApps was so impressed with Ilya’s work they have now taken him on full time.
DMU Graduate Champions offers recent graduates the chance to take up a paid, six week long internship with a leading UK business to enhance their CV and help them stand out from the crowd in a furiously competitive jobs market.
Each graduate is contracted and paid by DMU to work 18.5 hours a week for 6 weeks, and the university pays the Living Wage.
Organisations have free access to some of the brightest and best graduates in the UK today, meaning they are given the opportunity to benefit from an intensive injection of graduate-level expertise and innovation.
While graduates enjoy sought-after opportunities to gain a valuable insight into graduate-level work that is relevant to their chosen degree and the career path they wish to follow.
Ilya is one of many Graduate Champions to have been offered full-time work after completing an internship.
Ilya said: “I heard about DMU Graduate Champions from my tutor, just before applications were about to close.
“I was obviously looking for work after graduating, so in addition to regular applications to targeted companies, I decided to give it a shot with DMU Graduate Champions. I thought: “What harm can it do?”
“DMU did all the work and matched me to EaziApps.
“My placement was very exciting. I was set a project of designing a brochure from scratch. I created images and different mock-ups of mobile app screens and layouts. When I was offered a job, my heart was beating as if it was about to jump out of my body. It was unexpected. I know I will not regret joining the team.”
Ilya has joined the huge numbers from DMU who enter full time employment within six months of graduating - a record that has put the university in the top 25 in the UK for employability.
Results from the annual Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey reported that 95.8% of DMU graduates from summer 2014 were in work or further study six months after graduating – above the national average of 93.2%. More than three-quarters were in graduate-level jobs.
Ilya says everyone at DMU who has either already graduated or is about to graduate should sign up for the scheme.
He said: “The most important benefit is the experience you get working in the company. Nowadays employers expect 'fresh' graduates to have experience working in particular fields.
“But how can you get the experience to get the job? This is where DMU Graduate Champions helps you, as well as volunteering and other DMU schemes like Frontrunners.
“The second important benefit is making links with the company that you are working for. If your performance is very good and they have a position available, be ready to be employed full time - just like me!
“I would recommend the Graduate Champions scheme to ALL DMU graduates because it helps with employability, works with leading companies, where you can get really good experience, as well as getting paid for it.
“It's easy to apply for and an effective way to kick-start your career. It is a great opportunity for anyone who is ambitious, hard-working and motivated.”
Richard Bowden, DMU Internships Manager, said: “This is brilliant news for Ilya and all of us connected with DMU Graduate Champions wish him every success in the future with EaziApps.
“Companies like EaziApps, and hundreds of others who have joined our scheme, really value DMU graduates and are not just excellent employers but life coaches. They know how to get the best out of people new to the workplace and we are grateful for the opportunities they bring to our graduates.
“We welcome any businesses, big or small, who wish to join the scheme.”
For more about DMU Graduate Champions click HERE or email champions@dmu.ac.uk
Posted on Thursday 15 October 2015