'Hanging onto your investment' with the graduate development programme ...

This has been done primarily for small to medium size companies who only take on a small number of graduates each year, or even every few years. It is for those who would find it cost restrictive to set up their own internal programme but who recognise the importance of graduate development.

Research has shown that the main reason for losing graduates is the lack of development opportunities and attention to their potential.

Launched in Autumn 2007, the programme consists of 4 modules each of 3 days. The second and third modules will take place during 2008 and finish in the Spring of 2009.

The second programme, building upon the success of the first, commences in October 2008 and recruitment has already begun in earnest.

Places are limited to 15 people per programme, with a maximum number of delegates from any one company to ensure a spread of organisations are represented.

Paul Sugarman, the Programme Tutor, not only runs this programme here at Barleythorpe but also in company with organisations who have sufficient graduates to hold their own programme.