The KTP programme at QUB features in ‘Graduate Employer of the Year’ category shortlist.

The GradIreland Recruitment Awards 2020 – adjudicated by an expert panel of judges, as well as the votes of over 13,000 undergraduates throughout Ireland – are the largest early careers recruitment awards in Ireland and this year the KTP at Queen’s programme is on its shortlist.

The core purpose of the KTP at Queen’s graduate programme is to transfer research knowledge and expertise out of Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), and to embed it within a business. The graduate programme has been the foundation of many key relationships with industry and in many cases it has been the catalyst for strategically important collaborative activity that otherwise would not exist. 

The KTP programme offers high quality, fully salaried graduate jobs, normally on a 2 year contract. Each graduate (KTP Associate) has 10% of time allocated to training and development activity in addition to a £8,500 dedicated budget to support this.  All KTP Associates attend two, one week residential training modules that deliver the skills and knowledge required to be successful in their KTP project. Coaching on core project and people management skills that enable them to become industry leaders of the future are delivered within the training programme.   

“We are always looking for ways in which we can add value, not just to the project for the company benefit, but also for the graduates themselves.  In Queen’s we offer opportunities for graduates to network together, sharing best practice and developing their knowledge of other sectors including social media, presentation skills and understanding intellectual property” commented Lorraine Marks, who leads the KTP team at QUB.

The unique partnership formed via a KTP provides great career prospects for the recently qualified graduate who is given the opportunity to assist in leading a real life project within industry, in their relevant discipline. 

Good luck to the Queen’s team when the winners are announced at a ceremony scheduled for 6 August this year.

You can find out more about working as a KTP Associate here and see some of the current KTP Associate vacancies here. 

Pictured above: the QUB KTP team from left to right Simon Patterson, Lisa Kirkwood, Lorraine Marks, Karen McGeough and Emma Beattie