The companies offering programmes that can take you from new graduate in Ireland to seasoned professional

Forvis Mazars

As one of the fastest-growing audit and advisory firms, Forvis Mazars offers a competitive graduate programme for the next generation of business leaders. There are more than 80 graduate positions available across the firm’s audit and assurance, tax, financial advisory, consulting and enterprise risk management, financial management, and outsourced accounting teams.

The programme, Gen You, encourages graduates from every discipline to apply, as long as they have already obtained or are on track to achieve a 2:1 honours degree. Associates benefit from exam support, continuous training and mentoring, access to courses provided by the accredited Forvis Mazars University, and generous leave allowance, including paid study and exam leave. They will be able to choose from a wide variety of qualification routes when training, including ACA, ACCA, ITI, ATI, CFA, CIMA, CISA, CISM and PRINCE 2.

The flexible programme allows associates to tailor their learning paths to their own strengths and timelines, while also creating clearly defined goals and milestones for career progression within the firm. Applications for the programme usually open in September and close in mid-October.

Lidl

Lidl’s 18-month graduate management scheme offers applicants a tailored programme that is shaped to the career path they are aiming for, while taking into account their current skills. It consists of several modules that give graduates a full understanding of the business, allowing them time to settle in and get to grips with their new environment.

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Graduates will also develop a personalised training plan designed around their career ambitions. They will be expected to work at every level of the business in order to develop their problem-solving and business-management skills, with guidance provided by trainers and mentors.

Graduates will enjoy a €44,000 salary annually pro rata, up to two days remote working per week, 20 days holiday annually pro rata, private employee medical insurance, and flexible start and finish times. Those applying should bear in mind that a full driving license is required, as well as flexibility to travel or relocate within Ireland. The closing date for applications is usually at the end of October.

Vodafone

This 18-month placement is a brilliant option for those interested in technology and digital innovation. Applicants have to specialise in one of seven streams on offer, including technology, business management, digital design, finance, data, marketing and communications, and corporate security. Within each stream, graduates will be able to explore career possibilities through two different rotations across the business over the course of the programme.

Graduates from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply, as long as they are prepared to develop new skills and kick-start a career in building, maintaining and innovating Ireland’s modern, digital society. The programme offers hybrid working, flexible working hours and working abroad options. Vodafone operates in a hybrid working model, however, meaning that whatever the graduates’ preferences, part of their time will be spent in Vodafone’s head office in Leopardstown, Dublin, and the rest of it will be spent working from home.

Graduates will be eligible to apply for full-time roles in the organisation a few months before officially finishing the programme. Applications open in September and close in November.

Deloitte

Deloitte’s Future Leaders Academy is a graduate programme structured to guide successful applicants through every step of professional qualification at the largest professional services firm worldwide.

A variety of rolesare available within different areas of Deloitte, each with different application opening and closing dates. Applications for audit and assurance, actuarial, business and financial advisory, consulting, risk advisory, tax consulting, technology, cyber, and data and digital programmes open between mid and late September.

The robust programme offers full financial support for professional qualifications, exam support and study leave, and access to learning platforms, as well as in-house training. There is also a competitive salary, with a range of benefits, including paid private health insurance, pension contributions and life assurance. Graduates will also gain access to wellness programmes, financial wellbeing talks and counselling services to facilitate their adjustment to their new environment and career.

Whatever area graduates are working in, they can expect to gain exposure to complex projects with world-renowned organisations across a variety of industries. They will be guided throughout by a dedicated coach, mentors and buddies, in addition to the technical training they will receive, advisory skills modules they will take and milestone programmes they will participate in. Over five years, graduates will be able to develop their expertise and dive deeper into their chosen industry before honing their leadership skills and moving up through the firm.

Applications close early when there is a high volume of submissions, so graduates are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Applegreen

Applegreen’s Future Leaders graduate development programme features not only on-the-ground experience across the business, but also a combination of workshops, online self-directed learning, webinars and guest speakers. The group has three graduate programmes: retail, accounting and finance, and IT.

The retail graduate programme is 28 months long and offers students the opportunity to work in roles in food and coffee, HR, marketing and trading. Graduates will complete a four-month site rotation to gain real-world experience and will undertake an international work placement in their final year.

The accounting and finance programme is three years long and allows graduates to rotate across management accounting, internal audit, commercial finance, and more. Graduates are supported to achieve their ACCA qualification through full exam sponsorship and learning support, and are offered generous study leave.

The IT programme offers graduates the chance to explore a variety of career options across IT projects and data management roles.

Across the different streams, graduates can expect a €32,000 salary, 21 days of annual leave, comprehensive health insurance and wellbeing programmes.

Musgrave

Musgrave offers graduate opportunities across five areas of its food-retail, wholesale and food-service business. Its buying (trading) programme is two years long, with hybrid office locations in Cork, Dublin and Belfast, and explses graduates to sourcing, market and competitor analysis, price positioning, promotion planning, and supplier management. Graduates will develop commercial, negotiating and influencing skills while working closely with internal stakeholders and retail partners.

The finance programme is three years, with rotations across office locations in Cork, Dublin and Belfast. The role supports professional development through the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) qualification and exposes successful applicants to a range of areas including retail and credit control, trading finance, and financial control.

The store development programme opens up a team that is responsible for the development of new and existing SuperValu and Centra stores, and graduates can expect to research market trends, support project planning and execution, and work closely with internal stakeholders over the course of two years.

The innovation programme is also two years long and offers graduates the chance to research emerging trends and assist in the development and implementation of new projects.

Finally, the retail operations stream involves working in stores under the guidance of the store manager or assistant manager and develops graduates’ skills in processes of ordering, gap analysis and sales analysis.

Musgrave’s programmes welcome candidates from all degree backgrounds, with a 2:1 honours degree as the minimum criteria.

KPMG

As one of the “big four”, KPMG offers a highly competitive graduate programme across different areas of its business. From audit and tax to deal advisory, consulting and law, graduates have the option to join the firm in a team that suits both their background and ambition. KPMG hires around 450 graduates for its Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway offices annually.

Although there is a particular focus on hiring those with an undergraduate degree in business (accounting, finance and commerce), the firm is actively seeking graduates from sustainability and arts disciplines who are interested in bringing a new perspective to the business.

Each graduate is supported by a performance manager and a dedicated “buddy” over the course of the three-and-a-half-year programme who can offer feedback, advice and assistance. For those joining audit and assurance, tax consulting, deal advisory, risk consulting and financial management consulting teams, KPMG is the top firm for professional accounting exam results.

There is an online application form on the KPMG careers website, with applications opening in the autumn and interviews commencing in November. Typically, KPMG hires students who are in their last year of study, and who then join the company after graduating.

Kerry Group

Kerry Group offers a number of graduate programmes across different areas of its business as a leading taste and nutrition partner for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. With opportunities in finance and accounting, manufacturing, supply chain, human resources, IT, food safety and quality, research development and application, engineering, and marketing, graduates from a range of disciplines have the chance to apply to work with the group that won Graduate Employer of the Year at the 2024 Gradireland awards.

There are 59 roles available across these nine different programmes. Successful applicants can look forward to a range of benefits, including mentoring, a competitive salary, real-world experience and a wellbeing toolkit, as well as ongoing education and development.

To apply, graduates have to fill out an online application form to the programme of their choice, after which they will be invited to take on online assessment. The next stage involves a video interview and later, a virtual assessment day in which applicants attend a full day of live, face-to-face assessments both in groups and individually. Kerry Group aims to offer all graduates a permanent position after they have completed their programme.

Enterprise Mobility

The graduate management trainee jobs available at Enterprise Mobility are the perfect fit for those interested in making an impact on the group’s network of mobility solutions, serving customers in more than 90 countries and territories around the world. Graduates will be based in one of Enterprise Mobility’s many branches where they will gain hands-on experience that will enable them to manage their own branch in as little as two years. They can also explore other options for career progression within the company, be that in human resources, accounting, revenue management, sales or marketing.

The programme incorporates both classroom learning and on-the-job training and mentorship, offering graduates ample opportunity to develop the skill set they need to progress in their career. In their training, graduates will gain experience in business management, marketing, sales, customer service and leadership.

To apply, graduates will have to register their interest before being invited to complete an online application form and will then attend a virtual interview. In the final stage of the process, they will be asked to visit one of Enterprise Mobility’s branches for an interview with the branch and area manager.