1) What degree disciplines do you consider?
We are currently seeking graduates from the following disciplines: Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, and Control System Engineering. Although other relevant discipline’s may be considered.
2) Will I be able to study for further qualifications - do you have an MBA program?
We will provide you with all of the training you will need to be a truly effective player in our organisation. If studying for further qualifications is important to you then we will support you in further studies that are appropriate to our business.
3) Do you offer relocation assistance?
In general, we do not offer relocation assistance to those joining our graduate programmes.
4) Will I be able to work overseas?
In a global organisation such as ABB there are opportunities for assignments in different businesses both in the UK and abroad. Overseas assignments are not, part of our graduate programmes, but as our businesses are project based, there is a possibility that you will have an overseas assignment. If overseas assignments are your ambition and one of your career objectives, then we will work with you to try to realise this.
5) Does the company have a good social life?
Yes. Social activities are, as you would expect, organised on a site-by-site basis. Some examples are: -
- Fun activities in support of the Macmillan Cancer Relief charity
- Christmas parties
- Sports and Social clubs
- Cinema and Theatre trips
- Paintballing, Go-karting.
- Squash, Football and Bowling.
6) How will my progress be monitored?
There are several ways in which your progress will be monitored; these can include a structured appraisal combined with feedback on your professional progress by your Mentor and Line Manager. They will assist you in determining your next assignments and the experience you will need to fulfil your development needs.
7) What Salary should I expect?
Starting salaries will be between c£19,500, although may dependent upon your location, specialisation and level of qualification. We regularly benchmark our salaries against the industries in which we operate our salaries are competitive both internally and externally.
8) What is the typical salary progression?
Typically your salary will be reviewed every 6 months whilst you are on the graduate programme and annually thereafter. Salary increases will reflect your performance, market trends, and the company's profitability.
9) What other benefits do you offer?
We offer a range of benefits, including a pension and 25 days holiday. Benefits could include a bonus scheme, life assurance and permanent health insurance.
10) What qualifications are required?
Generally we look for graduates with a degree of 2.1 (Upper Second), but we prefer graduates who have or expect to obtain a good MEng degree. But your degree is not everything - we look for other qualities as well, such as good communication and team working skills, innovation and initiative. So don’t be put off if your degree doesn't meet these requirements - you could still be in with a good chance!
11) Do you have to be a recent graduate?
No. We consider graduates with experience post-graduation and mature students.
12) How many graduates are you employing?
Engineering – 12 UK Wide
13) What is the selection process?
The selection process varies across the disciplines and our divisions, but takes the following general format: -
- Application form review, possibly with a supporting telephone interview
- Assessment Centre
14) How can I apply?
We use an online application system, and we prefer you to apply using this system.
15) When can I apply?
You can apply from November 2004 – April 2005.
16) When would I be able to start?
We generally ask graduates to start in September, although we are flexible on starting dates - as our graduate programs are individual to each graduate, the starting date will be agreed between us, so there should be no problem if you want to have a holiday after graduation or go travelling for a month or so.
17) What training and development do you offer?
This will be tailored to meet your and our needs, and will be a mixture of common and specialist training and development, covering technical, business, commercial, professional and interpersonal development, together with any appropriate certifications.
We will be encouraging you to determine your own training needs.
All of our graduates, irrespective of discipline, go on our Pathways programme, which will support and develop all of the fundamental skills you will need to be a successful technologist or future manager.
18) Do you offer placements, internships and vacation work?
We only have a limited number of these opportunities, and most of our placement opportunities arise on an ad-hoc basis depending upon business need and project activity. However, when opportunities are available we look for people with the following disciplines; Chemical, Mechanical, Control Systems and Electrical.
19) Can I apply from outside of the UK?
Yes. Please note that if you need a qualifying UK Work Permit we cannot guarantee that this can be obtained, and any offer of employment will be conditional against a permit being granted by the UK authorities.
20) How do I get more information?
We hope that these graduate pages will have given you all of the information you need and our global web site
www.abb.com will give you plenty of information about ABB.
21) Why should I consider ABB?
Who else can offer what we can: -
- The breadth and depth of our technical and business portfolio
- A graduate programmes to suit you as an individual
- Recognition that you are an individual with your own skill set and aspirations
- A chance to hit the ground running from day one
- Our flexibility – these are exciting times in ABB!
22) Who are ABB - what do you do?
At its core, ABB is a technology company. We thrive on developing leading-edge technology and providing solutions that make our utility and industry customers more competitive in their businesses.
ABB has no home market. We are at home everywhere. What we promise, we deliver the world over. We are truly multicultural and multinational with local presence, experience and knowledge in all corners of the world. World wide there are 133,000 of us. In the UK there are 3,800 of us on sites across England and Scotland, from Penryn in Cornwall up to Aberdeen. Most graduate opportunities are based on one of our three major UK sites - St.Neots (Cambridgeshire). Daresbury (Greater Manchester) and Stonehouse (Gloucestershire)
Our UK services and products range from consultancy to project management, implementation and life-time support, from instrumentation and industrial robots to computerised process control systems, from switchgear to power distribution equipment, from drives and motors to offshore and sub sea equipment and monitoring and control systems.