Graduates and apprentices offered wider choice of careers at United Utilities

Water company, United Utilities has widened the range of roles it’s offering graduates and apprentices as it welcomes its latest cohort this month.

This September, 125 new starters join the company to take up roles ranging from scientist, project controller and data analyst to mechanical and electrical engineer, customer service advisor and apprentice assistant town planner - a new role introduced this year. More new graduate roles are planned for the 2025 intake.

This year’s group – made up of 48 graduates and 77 apprentices – are guaranteed permanent employment at the company when they finish their schemes.

Apprentices at United Utilities earn while they learn, studying Apprenticeship Standards which are endorsed by the Institute for Apprenticeships and the Department for Education, while also gaining hands-on experience. Apprenticeship schemes vary from 18 months to six years for degree apprenticeships in subjects such as engineering, quantity surveying, town planning, science and labs and run in conjunction with universities including MMU, Liverpool John Moore’s, Sheffield Hallam, Salford and Harper Adams.

Apprentice precision maintenance engineer, 29-year-old Jack Cleworth from Middleton in Manchester, said: "I'm excited to get hands-on experience and get to know the people I'll be working with in my new role.”

The graduate scheme lasts for three years and graduates take part in a tailored programme to provide them with the business and technical knowledge required to become future leaders. This includes first-class training and support alongside an in-depth understanding of their chosen area and the chance to make a tangible contribution to live projects that are benefiting the entire region.

Graduate project manager, Oluwaseun Ayegbusi, 23, from Oldham,  added: "I'm looking forward to learning new things and moving forward in my career at United Utilities!"

United Utilities’ Senior Education Lead, Jacqueline Kawczak commented:

“It’s vital for our business that we have a pipeline of talent supporting the skills growth required to deliver our five-year business plan.

“This year, we’ve introduced a new level 7 master’s degree in Town Planning and increased our intake of graduates on our engineering schemes in each of our key business areas bio, waste and water.

“We’re broadening the range of graduate and apprenticeship schemes we now offer and will continue to do so for next years’ intake.”

United Utilities currently has around 300 apprentices and graduates training with the company. Applications for next year’s graduate positions will open later this month [September], and apprenticeship positions will open in January 2025. Details on all the roles, as well as other career opportunities at United Utilities, will be available at: www.unitedutilities.com/corporate/careers/