Graduate Trainee Programme
Our Business
Marston's is a company with people at its heart. As a graduate you are given real responsibility and opportunity from the first day of the scheme.
Many of the projects you will manage during the 18 month induction will involve working closely with senior managers. At Marston's you are an individual and your development programme is individually tailored with support given at every step.
Your Graduate Scheme
The scheme is both challenging and rewarding. Graduate trainees will be involved in projects across the business working in different teams and towards different goals, which allows you to gain an insight into our business from every angle. No two days are the same. One day you could be establishing an ale trail or working to support our sponsorship of the England Cricket Board at Lords, the next could be spent experiencing the life of a drayman!
You may have already decided which business function to specialise in or may be looking for a broad range of experiences to help you make an informed decision about your future. Popular destinations for recent graduates include finance, human resources, production, sales, marketing and estate management.
Based in Wolverhampton but with travel to our other sites, we are offering a starting salary of £21,000.
Our Point of Difference
What makes the graduate scheme at Marston's unique is that it is your graduate scheme and it can take whatever direction you want to follow. You will be involved in selecting the projects and placements. You will study for a Diploma in Leadership & Management and can even choose a Director of the Company to mentor you through your first few months. After the 18 months - it's your decision what direction your career follows.
On completion of the graduate scheme and the Diploma in Leadership and Management, we will provide sponsorship for further study and professional qualifications.
What are we Looking for?
Ideal candidates will be graduates with an upper second class degree. Relevant but not exclusive disciplines are general arts, biochemistry, economics, finance, humanities, business and management. Of greater importance to us will be your inter-personal skills, determination, creativity, ambition, commercial acumen and propensity to learn.
We are looking for graduates who are motivated by the long term challenge of progression to Senior Management/ Director levels within the organisation in a time scale of 10 to 15 years. You will be the senior managers of tomorrow - an exciting prospect!
When we review an application, we will be looking for;
- A degree in a relevant discipline with a 2:1 classification or higher
- A minimum UCAS tariff of 300
- GCSE English Language and Mathematics at B or above, or equivalent qualifications
- Excellent responses to a set of competency-based questions
Applicants will need to be able to provide proof of eligibility to work without restriction in the United Kingdom.
Selection Process
If your application satisfies our entry requirements, we will invite you to complete a set of online tests. These tests assess your ability to work with written and numerical data. An e-mail with links to instructions and sample questions will be sent in advance so that you are fully prepared.
If you perform well in the online tests, we will invite you to attend an interview at the Marston’s Training Centre in Wolverhampton. The interview will be with two members of the People Development team and will last for approximately one hour. We will expect interviewees to have completed some research into our business and the brewing & licensed retail industries. We will also expect interviewees to be able to discuss their long term goals and suitability for the scheme.
The final stage of our selection process is an assessment centre on 29th February and 1st March. The purpose of this event is to provide you with opportunities to demonstrate what you are capable of. All of the assessors will be Senior Managers and Directors. At the end of the process we will make our selection decisions.
Graduate Profile
What's it like working for Marston's? This is what our current graduate trainees have written;
“The scheme begins with a busy three month period where you spend time with the other graduate trainees meeting various Directors within the company, attending training courses, working on group projects and getting to know the Company in general. Being new to a big Company can be daunting, but you are made to feel part of it all from day one. You have the opportunity to strike up strong friendships with the other graduates, giving yourself an even greater support base combined with that provided by Marston’s.
The initial induction period is followed by 15 months of rotation throughout the business in various departments. This gives you exposure to all areas and ensures that you are given the best possible chance of choosing the right career for you. Everybody is different, and this is recognised by the scheme being tailored to suit you. In my case, I was already clear that I wanted to specialise as a Chartered Surveyor and the graduate scheme provided me with the specific experiences I needed within the Estates department.
Marston’s Graduate Scheme is a wonderful place to start your career, and Marston’s itself is a fantastic company to continue it in.”
- Rachel, Marston’s Inns & Taverns, Joined 2010
“I applied to Marston’s because it is a company with heritage and tradition in an interesting British industry. The Graduate Scheme offers flexibility and support but also the opportunity to take responsibility for projects at an early stage.
One such project for me was organising an ‘Ale Trail’ in Lichfield when working in marketing for Marston’s Pedigree. Essentially, this was about providing support for the pubs to stock the brand and incentives for consumers to drink it. This involved selecting the pubs to include, selling the concept to them, and working with agencies to create the Point of Sale material and publicity for the initiative.
Experienced colleagues provided inspiration and ideas but also allowed me the freedom to run the project and learn from the experience. It was great to have this faith shown in me. The Ale Trail is an example of how the Graduate Scheme enables you to learn about the industry and yourself.”
Tom, Marston’s Beer and Pub Company, Joined 2010
“In my first year at Marston’s I have had so many memorable days that it is hard to pick just one. However, if I had to chose one that best summarises my time so far it would have to be the first day on my sales patch in the National Accounts team.
This was the first of my three month placements and I have to say that I didn’t quite know what to expect. However, having been given two weeks of full training within the department – covering everything from cellar training to sales techniques, I was eager to get out there on my own.
The fact I was given my own patch for three months despite having been with the company for fewer than three shows just how Marston’s trust their graduates with real responsibility. I probably learnt more in this one day than in any other in my time at Marston’s. This was not only because I could apply the fantastic training I had received but also that I was left to work out some things on my own; this gave me a real sense of achievement. What’s more, I sold beer on my first day – it’s fair to say I was buzzing for Tuesday!”
Robert, Marston’s Beer and Pub Company, Joined 2010
Our Timetable for Recruitment
| October 2011 to January 2012 | Attraction Campaign and Application Process |
|---|---|
| November 2011 to February 2012 | First Round Interviews |
| 31st January 2012 | Closing Date for Application Forms |
| 29th February & 1st March 2012 | Two day Assessment Centre |
| October 2012 | Commencement of Employment |