PR & Media

The FUSION programme offers graduates the opportunity to work for some of the leading innovative companies across the island. They can fast track their career, lead an industry project in the Science, Technology or Engineering sectors, and develop skills with a fully-funded Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business at UCD in Dublin.  Graduates are offered a real opportunity to significantly improve their career prospects coupled with an attractive salary and training package. 

 

FUSION develops partnerships between companies with a technology need on one side of the border, and colleges or universities that can provide the specialist knowledge, expertise and support on the other side. The partners work collaboratively to plan a specific project role that solves a technology need within the company. A dynamic graduate is then employed to spearhead the project for a period of up to one year and acts as a facilitator between the university and company. 

 

The new web portal, www.footinthedoor.info, will provide a one stop shop for graduates to access the latest job details, look at videos from past graduates on their experience and interact with other graduates to share knowledge and information. The social hub within the website will also give current graduates and alumni the opportunity to further engage with one another, raise discussions and share best practice through a dedicated Facebook page.  

 

Margaret Hearty, Director of Business Services and Programmes at InterTradeIreland, believes that there is a real need to actively engage with graduates.


“We offer Graduates unique career opportunities through our Innovation & Trade programmes.  Graduates work with the most innovative companies on the island where they get the chance to manage a business project from start to finish, helping companies develop innovative and commercially viable products and services, whilst putting their own unique stamp on the roles.”

 

Speaking at the launch of the www.footinthedoor.info web portal, Margaret said: “Despite the current economic uncertainty there are exciting opportunities available to graduates. We work with some of the most innovative businesses on the island who want to employ graduates to help grow their business. 
 

 

“Programmes such as FUSION bring them together with private sector companies from across the island of Ireland.  With its 72% retention figure of graduates going on to full-time employment with their host company, this offers a real opportunity for graduate employment in the Science, Technology and Engineering sectors. We would particularly welcome new applications from IT graduates, a sector which is under-represented at present. I would encourage anyone who is educated to diploma or degree level and is seeking employment at the moment to go online to www.footinthedoor.info for further information,” she added.
 

 

To date, 350 participants have graduated from the FUSION programme having gained valuable project management experience with their placement companies. Each InterTradeIreland FUSION project generates, on average, in excess of £1 million worth of sales and efficiency savings for the company as a result of cost savings, new product development, increased sales and process improvements.
 

 

Attending the launch to lend his support to the new website, current FUSION graduate, Ben Willis from Media Lightbox, based in Newry, said:
 

 

“The FUSION programme has allowed me to get a much needed start in business and has proved invaluable to me in giving me on-the-job training, the opportunity to dedicate myself to an innovative project and see it through from initial conception to completion with Media Lightbox. I also added a UCD diploma to my list of qualifications. I would certainly recommend the programme to anyone who is interested in working in science, engineering or technology and would definitely suggest checking out the website and Facebook page for more information.  It really could allow you to get your foot in the door with a company and kick start your career.”
 

 

For further information on the on-going roles available at the new web portal and to register an interest for future jobs click on www.footinthedoor.info

 

The InterTradeIreland FUSION programme is a past winner of the gradireland Graduate Recruitment Awards ‘best graduate training and development programme’ in 2010, as well as  ‘graduate employee of the year’ in 2011.