Since the very beginning of our Graduate Scheme in 2019, every person we’ve taken on as a full-time and permanent member of the team is still with us now. All of them.

At its heart is a pretty simple formula: supporting and encouraging people while providing the right rewards and opportunities. These and other things help us attract, recruit, and retain some really amazing talent.

As Bipsync’s formal graduate program enters its 5th year, we look back on five things that define our unique approach and have contributed to unprecedented success. In this first of a two-part blog series, we’ll focus on: 

• Giving early career opportunities
• Having close ties with universities

Giving early career opportunities

Offering internships, placements, and entry-level opportunities brings fresh perspectives, improves diversity, and gives you the chance to mold the next generation. What’s more, that extra pair of hands for even just a week or two can ease pressure on your team and improve everyone’s mood. It’s beneficial to companies of all sizes and almost all disciplines, and there’s often funding available to help too. A good intern is truly a golden find, and it spawns mutual benefits by giving them an opportunity to stand out from their cohort with practical, real world experience.

Experience gained on the job isn’t always forthcoming in the applications we see – it’s a catch-22. A common issue among graduates is not being given the starter opportunities they deserve. We’re doing our bit to change that.

There are so many options available to employers, from unpaid work experience to a full year in industry placement. In recent times, Bipsync has seen real value in introducing students using the Santander programme. One student used this as a launchpad to his Year In Industry with us, and more recently we took on another for a short end-of-year placement that we subsequently extended to last the entire summer and became a job offer for when she graduates! She’s also working for us part-time now, while she completes her final year, and is already making significant contributions to her team. 

For the student, this real-world work means a little extra money in their pocket but also an accelerated learning curve that’s far more satisfying and motivating than simply studying the academic models. For us, we can begin introducing potential future employees to our system. They get an insight (into us) before interviews and we get a better understanding of their suitability, plus a jump start with onboarding if we do decide to employ them at a later date.

Having close ties with universities

What better applicant pipeline is there than going straight to the source? 

Bipsync’s development center is in Cardiff, a vibrant city that continues to expand rapidly as a startup and tech base, and where we’re fortunate to be in reasonable proximity to almost a dozen universities (half of these are within 1-hour’s commute). Close relationships with these and other institutions and pathways are key because, if people don’t know who you are, they won’t apply for your openings.

Members of the Bipsync team work particularly closely with Cardiff University, Cardiff Met and Swansea University, ensuring we contribute to what skills are needed from graduates – both technical and soft skills – and how to prepare students for the world of work. Through these programs, we gain direct contacts with the university staff who organize engagement events, careers fairs and other brand-building exercises, facilitating the best opportunities to meet students, identify talent before graduation, and also meet other companies to share best practice.

A very wise person once said, “shy kids don’t get sweets.” In other words, if you don’t ask you can’t always expect opportunities to be handed to you. Meeting people is fine, but unless you act on or create opportunities from the meetings, it’s all for nothing! From contacts made at the Industrial Liaison Committees, we’ve been able to host pop-up stalls within Computer Science faculty buildings, giving students a chance to drop in and find out more about Bipsync and whether they’d be interested in working with us. 

Don’t overlook the power of personal outreach, combined with having your name or logo seen regularly on campus. We arrive with branded merch and snacks, some informational signage and an approachable attitude that’s simply about introducing ourselves and what we do. Many cover letters we’ve received has started with “I met you at a University event” or “I have a Bipsync sticker on my laptop.” 

Stay tuned for more

Part 2 of this two-part blog series will focus on the remaining core principles behind the successful Bipsync Graduate Program, namely:

• Helping people acquire skills, hone applications and find jobs — even if it isn’t with us!
• Seeking out “career changers”
• Creating a welcoming, rewarding environment

Interested in joining Bipsync? You’ve got our email, or else head to the careers page for current openings and more details on the graduate scheme – we’d love to hear from you!