Meet our graduates

“I originally intended to pursue a career in Finance or Banking - and I applied to a number of companies - but what drew me to Serco were the people I met at the assessment centre and the broad range of experiences and challenges on offer. 

My first placement in the business has been on the Caledonian Sleeper project. I’ve definitely been thrown into the deep end which has allowed me to strengthen my skillset.  The support I’ve received from my line manager, a Director within the Transport services, has been invaluable and has allowed me to integrate quickly into the workplace. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to develop since joining and I’m looking forward to my next two placements in our Health and Maritime businesses.  

As someone with a hearing impairment I am proud to work for a company that recognises the skills and potential that disabled people bring to the table. Organisations often talk a great deal about values but do little to justify their claims, but with Serco I have found a place where its values are understood and upheld by everyone in the company. The assessment day conveyed this brilliantly; I could tell from the outset that they really cared about us.”
 

“Before joining Serco I spent some time working on an NHS leadership programme within a care home. I’m hugely passionate about the health and social care sector so I knew I wanted to be part of company that is helping to change how it is perceived, administered and managed. 

The entire assessment process was impressive as I saw how much time Serco invested in getting to know us as candidates and explaining to us it stands for and what it wants to do. I could see how what I want to achieve is aligned with Serco’s vision. So I was over the moon to be offered a place on the programme!

I have learned so much from joining the Serco graduate programme and there lots of opportunities here for the taking.”

“Coming out of university I was keen to develop a career within public service, so one of the immediate attractions to Serco was its commitment to high quality public service – and that it offers career opportunities across the UK (and the world) and not just in London. 

Serco is about people. This came through at every stage of the selection process and, even now, as part of the graduate programme I know that we are all interested in supporting and developing each other. I feel that they’re investing in me as a person and where I can best serve the company.” 
 

How did you find starting in Serco when you first joined the scheme? 

You get a lot of freedom on the programme, so it can be a bit confusing at first as you won’t be told exactly what you’ll be doing. I also assumed that everyone would know I was a graduate - but as I was working with a lot of frontline workers some just assumed that I was some kind of senior manager! Once I explained I was a graduate though - and that I was still learning - everyone became very welcoming.  

I started in the control room of London Cycle Hire, which is basically the brain of the operation. They monitor the whole contract and distribute jobs to the workforce, which helped me develop a proper understanding of the work carried out. I was constantly asked what I wanted to be involved in or if I had skills I could bring to the table regarding specific projects. This was very encouraging as I wasn’t forced into working on anything I didn’t feel confident in and always had the option to join in where I felt I could contribute.  

Since then, I’ve moved on to the Change team and have been an active role in the business support department by releasing the written comms for the contract.  

What sort of things do you do day-to-day? 

There is usually a daily catchup with the contract team regarding progress and priorities and updating everyone on what we will be doing that day. From there – no one day is the same! For example, we may have a site visit where senior leaders from other parts of the business will come down, so I could be giving them tours or updating them on projects. Or I could be assisting with internal comms and sticking loads posters around the contract. It’s usually a busy day - you will always have something to work on that is outside of your control or that you didn’t expect.  

Prepare to also spend a lot of time working on projects such as your Yellow Belt and the ODM apprenticeship. Daily tasks could include adding to your Off the Job log to support with the apprenticeship or researching ways to reduce waste on your contract/in your office for the Yellow Belt. 

What tips would you give to new starts/people applying? 

Don’t be afraid to share your skills - if you're good at something or there is something you want to explore bring it up to the team or your placement manager. There's always some way, especially on an operational contract, to develop those opportunities or to apply your own ideas.  

Being open to sharing and to gaining experience is important, as will give a good view on you as a person and it really helps you progress.  

Also, I’d say to stick with it even if you don’t know exactly what you want to do - as there will be many opportunities that will help you develop and help you decide what exactly you want to progress in.  

It also helped to be open to speaking to people and to constantly ask questions.