Tyne and Wear and Northumberland SMEs: Grow Your Business with a Graduate

Northumbria University has launched a new ERDF funded project supporting SMEs to recruit a graduate intern. This project follows on from the success of the previous scheme which helped stimulate enterprise growth and graduate jobs in the North East. Over 150 businesses benefited from the scheme with 81% of SMEs reporting that they retained the graduate within their business after completion of the internship.
 
Through funding worth up to £1.9 million to support SME and graduate start-ups, the Northumbria Enterprise and Business Support 2 (NEBS2) scheme includes a financial contribution to help small businesses employ graduates typically on 6-month internships programmes. Funding support will run until June 2023 and is available to small and medium sized employers, including those in the third sector in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.  This latest project is expected to provide support to 120 businesses through internship funding activity. 
 
Interns will be paid by the SME for up to 6 months in a graduate position to meet the business needs of the organisation with the project providing a maximum financial contribution to salary of £4,050 for a 6-month internship (45%). Pro-rata funding is available for shorter internship durations. Businesses who are looking at ways to respond more effectively to the challenges of COVID-19 are encouraged to apply. NEBS2 is an excellent opportunity for SMEs within the Biomedical and Life Sciences sectors to identify a longer-term or permanent member of staff and the graduate talent that can add real value to the business.
 
To find out more about this exciting opportunity please contact sv.employers@northumbria.ac.uk  and register your interest today.