HAMBLETON District Council is joining forces with Teesside University to create a graduate internship programme in the new year – a first for the local authority.

One of the key aims of the council’s newly adopted economic strategy is to support up to 15 graduates a year to find jobs within Hambleton. Councillors have allocated £50,000 per year for three years to make that happen.

Deputy leader, Cllr Peter Wilkinson, signed an agreement this week with Teesside University’s head of employer partnerships, Dr Elaine Hooker, to work in partnership.

The university has secured funding from the European Regional Development Fund to help 33 businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber with a grant of up to £3,999 for a six-month internship. The university will also help with the recruitment process and can provide expert mentoring.

“We already have a very successful apprenticeship scheme but now we want to be able to offer help to graduates,” said Cllr Wilkinson.

“But in order to do that we need to link with universities which have the expertise to match graduates with jobs.

“This is a very exciting new initiative for Hambleton and one which we hope will see expertise retained in the district rather than heading for the bigger conurbations.”

The graduate internship scheme follows a successful scheme run by Teesside University in the North East, where over the last three years the North-East Graduates for Business scheme has worked with nearly 200 employers and created more than 190 new jobs. Dr Hooker said: “Our Graduates for Business scheme is a great way for companies to bring new ideas and skills into their business with a minimum of risk and expense.

“It has already had a fantastic impact in the North-East and so we’re delighted to be able to offer companies in Hambleton and other areas in Yorkshire and the Humber the chance to take advantage of it.”

There will be two information events in January. For more information, visit tees.ac.uk/business, phone 01642 384068 or email business@tees.ac.uk