Not only will you work for one of the UK’s largest technical, facilities management and regeneration companies, but you will also learn and grow as an individual. You will work on exciting, innovating projects across the UK alongside your colleagues who will support you throughout your programme. You will experience a genuine commitment to your personal development that stretches far beyond the scheme, and into your long-term career with Equans. We are looking for the next generation of talent who will continue to take our business to the next level. For queries, please get in touch.
About our Programme
Graduate scheme pathways
Operational Management
Our Operational Management pathway aims to equip you with the experience and skills to work on a busy and demanding operational site. Your placements could include working on our hospitals, universities, schools or government buildings to name a few. You will be supported to develop health & safety and operational knowledge throughout your placements.
2 x 6-month and 1 x 12-month rotation.
Our placements will be based across a variety of operational contracts which requires our graduates to be on site for a minimum of 4 days per week.
Engineering
Graduates on the Engineering pathway will rotate across different engineering areas depending on your specialism. Individuals on this scheme could rotate across either design, quality and energy engineering roles, or will focus on Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (Building Services). You will be encouraged to work towards a qualification with the Energy Institute, IHEEM, IMechE Chartership Qualification.
2 x 6-month and 1 x 12-month rotation
Within our Engineering pathway we offer streams focused on Energy Engineering or M&E (Building Services) Engineering.
Digital & Data
Our Digital & Data pathway is for anyone with an interest in and enjoys handling data and digital solutions. Placements could be across our Smart Buildings sector, Equans Digital or Operational Sites. You will be encouraged to further develop your skills via an apprenticeship such as the Level 6 Data Scientist apprenticeship.
2 x 6-month and 1 x 12-month rotation
Placements could include Smart Buildings, Equans Digital and Operational Sites.
Finance
Our finance graduates will gain experience in a variety of financial roles across different contracts and teams. Placements could include being part of our Equans Business Services, Central Finance team or Operational Finance contracts. This pathway gives you the opportunity to gain your CIMA or ACCA Chartership.
2 x 6 month and 1 x 12-month rotation
Placements could include time within our Equans Business Services Team in Newcastle, Central Finance Teams, and Operational. Minimum 6-months in Newcastle and 6-months on a site-based financial placement.
Generalist
Our generalist pathway gives graduates the opportunity to have a more varied experience of the business through their four placements across operational and functional departments such as Facilities Management Operations, Business Development, Finance or Procurement. After the first 12 months, graduates will have the opportunity to specialise onto the Operational Management pathway to continue their development.
4 x 6-month rotations
Minimum 2 site-based operational placements.
Human Resources
During your first year on the scheme, you'll build your experience with our Newcastle-based Employee Services Team, other placements could include being part of our Recruitment Team or in one of our central HR teams such as Learning & Development, Diversity Equity & Inclusion and Wellbeing, HR Information Systems, or HR Projects. The second year is made up of two placements working in different Operational HR teams, to directly support our frontline colleagues who deliver excellent service across sites such as hospitals, universities, councils, or energy projects.
3 x 4-month rotations within your first year and 2 x 6-month rotations within your second year.
You will also be supported to complete a CIPD qualification via an apprenticeship whilst on the Graduate Scheme.
Hear from our people
Hear from some of our current and former graduates to get a taste of what the scheme has to offer and where it can take you:
Alfie Bryan – Energy Engineering Graduate, 2024 cohort
My time on the Equans graduate scheme has been an incredible learning journey so far, offering a wide range of experiences across different areas of the energy sector. I began with the Embedded Energy team at Leeds GSC, gaining hands-on insight into traditional heat and power generation and even had the unique opportunity to visit the Shetland Islands to support a senior engineer at our Sullom Voe site. I then joined the Carbon Shift public sector consultancy team, where I developed a strong understanding of decarbonisation planning, carbon auditing, and public sector policy & funding.
As part of this placement, I’m also completing Energy Institute training in Energy Management to further support my development. The support from the Early Careers team has been outstanding, regularly organising soft skills training which also provides an opportunity for us to get together as graduates. I particularly enjoyed the Dynamic Deliveries presentation course, which boosted my presentations skills by providing practical tips to appear more confident and effectively deliver a message. I’m now looking forward to my next placement with the Solar, BESS, and Hydrogen team and continuing to grow my career in sustainable energy. I’d highly recommend the Equans graduate scheme to anyone starting out in the industry.
Grace Foua Bi – Operational Management Graduate, 2024 cohort
I started unsure and unaware of how this industry really worked. While I did my research for the interview, I had no idea what to truly expect. However, my first placement manager recognising that gave me a lot of flexibility. While we set objectives they were happy to facilitate for any interests I might have included those 'outside' operations management. I was introduced to the area facilities managers who I got to shadow sitting in on audits, client meetings and so forth. They were patient and accommodating and would also reach out with opportunities for me when they could.
As a grad they all want to see you grow and develop in your career. With that EQUANS have the YPN (Young professionals Network ) which I not only joined but got to become a lead on one of the events. While even now I am still adapting I've got the opportunity to lead in and with people I normally wouldn't have the chance to interact with. It not only built my confidence in networking but also, helped me feel better rounded in relation to career growth picking up more transferrable skills.
Ayobami Afolabi – Finance Graduate, 2024 cohort
Since starting the Finance Graduate Scheme at Equans in September 2024, I’ve worked across five teams in the Shared Service Centre and am now with the Pricing & Modelling team. These rotations have given me a varied knowledge of the company’s operations, along with practical experience in everything from cost modelling to month-end close processes. Support from my colleagues has been important in accelerating my development, and a volunteering day with The Peoples Kitchen was a highlight, showing the company’s commitment to the community..
Melissa James – Assistant Commercial Manager
The scheme has been an exceptional experience, giving me opportunities I never imagined. I’ve seen behind the scenes of international banks, walked the service corridors of major hospitals, taken meetings overlooking the London skyline, stood in the studios of Media City, watched Diet Coke come off the production line, and donned PPE to witness nuclear power generation up close. Each placement offered something completely different, and each one broadened my understanding of the industry, from Operations to Business Improvement and Commercial.
I entered the programme as a fresh graduate and completed it as a confident professional at the beginning of what I hope will be a long and rewarding career in Commercial. I grew by learning from patient, knowledgeable colleagues and have been fortunate to work with line managers and senior leaders who are genuinely invested in developing internal talent. Their support has helped me build on the strengths of my background whilst also broadening my skills in meaningful ways. I also immersed myself in employee networks and now proudly Co‑chair the AccessAbility steering committee. No two days have ever felt the same, and not once have I regretted submitting that initial application. The scheme has shaped my career, expanded my perspective, and given me experiences I’ll carry with me for years to come.
Graduate Scheme Frequently Asked Questions
The graduate programme will commence in September, where you will complete a 3-day induction before joining your team.
A buddy will be assigned to you once you have accepted your offer of employment; these will be our current graduates. They will be on hand to give you advice based on their experiences, such as settling into your location or your first placement, enabling you a smooth transition into the business.
Your placement managers will be your first point of contact during your placement. They will be able to discuss the role in more detail with you.
The Early Careers Team manage the graduate programme and will be on hand for any further support needed throughout your time with us.
As part of our graduate scheme, you will have the chance to select a mentor that best fits your needs. They will be able to continually support you throughout your journey and your career. We use an online platform called PushFar which matches mentors with mentees in order to create the most beneficial mentoring relationships.
Your graduate peers are also an excellent source of support. Graduates in recent years have enjoyed supporting each other through the scheme and have a positive impact on each other’s progress. Graduates have also enjoyed social events together. With a cohort a year ahead of you in the scheme, they are also a great source of support and advice.
Our graduate programme is a rotational scheme, and placements are set out by the business. Our placements can be based anywhere in the UK, so it is important that our graduates are flexible regarding location, as you might be expected to relocate every 6 months.
You will be placed in a role that is suitable for your strengths and give you the opportunity to work across different departments of the business.
Individuals ideally should have completed their degree, master’s degree or apprenticeship within the past 3 years or be completing before September of the year they are applying for the scheme, or have between 2 to 5 years work experience.
At the end of your graduate scheme, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for a permanent position within the business. To maximise your success and secure a role that aligns with your skills and career goals, we encourage you to begin building relationships and expanding your network across the business from day one.
There are various training and development opportunities available to our graduates. Some of the training previous graduates have completed include Project Management training and Change Management, along with soft skills training such as time management and presentation skills training.
Graduates have also taken part in workshops centred around climate change and Insights Discovery, where they learned about their personality preferences, behaviours and how they interact with others in the workplace, along with a leadership skills residential.
You'll also have opportunities to attend company webinars and social and networking events with other graduates on the scheme. You can also join the Equans Mentoring programme to help support you on your career journey with us, with the guidance and advice of another trusted and knowledgeable colleague. You will be part of a collaborative and inclusive working environment, and have access to the employee-led Young Professionals Network (YPN), a network designed to support the professional development of ambitious, like-minded young professionals within Equans, by providing opportunities to share ideas, network, and collaborate.
Have another question? Get in touch with our teams.
Our expertise
Equans supports businesses, communities and the public sector by mobilising its expertise to provide low-carbon energy solutions, offer cutting-edge technical and FM services and transformative regeneration across the UK & Ireland.
