The first rung on the career ladder

Management is the only sure-fire way up the career ladder, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). With practically every industry requiring managers and with employers increasingly keen to fast-track graduates into senior positions, it's not surprising that management trainee schemes have become one of the most popular career choices for university leavers.

While this has inevitably resulted in growing competition - with some employers reporting thousands of applications for only a few places - the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) reports that the market is healthy and that high-flying graduates can afford to be optimistic. "Our research shows the market has been picking up for two consecutive years now," says Carl Gilleard, chief executive. "The biggest growth in business functions or career area in 2004 was accountancy, but general management came a close second. What's particularly good news is that the growth isn't concentrated in one area like retail or banks, but across the board."

Mike Hill, chief executive of Graduate Prospects, the graduate careers advice and guidance provider, agrees the overall picture is positive this year, although he says: "It's always difficult to generalise around management trainee schemes because the situation tends to be so 'lumpy'. Take retail - there are some really strong companies like Tesco, but some other retailers are really cutting back on graduate intake at the moment. Meanwhile, many employers in IT, which has suffered in recent years, are now picking up again."

But he stresses that some areas - including accountancy, management consultancy, law and the public sector - are showing signs of increasing their graduate intake across the board this year. Meanwhile, some companies like Rolls-Royce boast consistency in terms of their graduate employment, even during tougher times, because they don't want to lose out in terms of leadership at a later date.

Before you have visions of having to stack shelves as part of a retail management scheme or having to serve pints behind a bar as part of a hotel management scheme, think again. Hill reports that the content of management trainee schemes has dramatically improved in recent years. "Back in the 1980s, a graduate on a management trainee scheme with a high street bank would have been expected to do a stint on the tills in a local bank. Nowadays, you wouldn't be expected to do such low-level work. You're much more likely to be put straight in a stimulating role."

Tesco is one of many employers who continue to review their schemes. "In the past, our general management scheme was very structured, but now it's much more bespoke, so that we can concentrate on enhancing people as individuals," says Clare Price, graduate recruitment manager. "So if a graduate has a particular skills gap, such as presentation skills, that's where they'll be developed. I suppose what we've learned is that there's no point in getting creative, ambitious graduates in and then treating them all exactly the same."

Graduates shouldn't make the mistake of applying exclusively to large employers, cautions Hill. "Many smaller companies take on one or two graduates a year and give them quite intensive management training."

He advocates further study for graduates interested in management trainee schemes, although Hill insists it isn't a prerequisite. "Anything that provides evidence of your maturity and a more in-depth ability to think, reason, inform and persuade will be useful in the marketplace."

Not everyone agrees, however. John Morewood, senior manager, graduate recruitment and talent at HSBC, says: "What we are really interested in is people who can show they will succeed in leading people in a customer services environment. Therefore, for me, a second degree is actually a problem. People who have them tend to have more debt, greater expectations for pay and they may actually be less suitable than someone who has a track record of actually working in a customer services environment."

Nevertheless, Carl Gilleard claims this is an untypical view. "Our members have consistently come forward with the same message - people won't be penalised if they have a second degree, but that they shouldn't expect huge recognition for it."

Gilleard is particularly impressed with the management trainee schemes in the public sector, many of which offer enormous variation and are taking on more graduates than ever before.

Within the civil service, you could be involved in anything from crime to defence to immigration, and, like most general management schemes, you can have any degree background. "The application process, which is online, is demanding," cautions Sue Nickson, deputy head of marketing for Fast Stream. "But those who are successful love the breadth of experience they get. When talking to their mates from university, they get a real buzz out of telling them what they're doing - which can range from advising ministers to drafting a bill."

Good news for those interested in local government is that the National Graduate Development Programme has tripled in size since its launch three years ago. The two-year programme has four components - the core placements within the "host" authority, study for a postgraduate diploma in local government management, national training, and external mentoring. "The idea is to get a broad overview of how local government works before specialising in an area you find yourself interested in," says Eleanor Gasse, who is responsible for graduate recruitment and marketing for the programme.

One of the biggest mistakes graduates make is to ignore the lower profile industries, according to Terry Jones of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services. "A lot of building firms are starting to run graduate training schemes, for example, but it tends to be off graduates' radar."

Hospitality and leisure often get missed by graduates too, says Rhona Mennie, careers manager of Springboard UK, the specialist careers and education service for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries. "But in order to meet the skills shortages in middle management positions, more employers are focusing on getting graduates into the business," she explains.

Cederic Previtali, 27, who is on Accor's management trainee scheme, says that variation is the best part of the scheme. "One day is never the same as the next, you get to work with so many interesting people and I get to improve myself in the quickest possible way."

If you're concerned you don't already have all the essential qualities for management material, it's worth noting that the Chartered Management Institute believes leaders are made rather than born. Spokesperson Petra Cook says: "Of course, you need some natural talent, but most skills can be developed, which is the whole point of these schemes."

'I'd grown to really enjoy the culture of Asda and was attracted to the fast-pace of working in retail'

Kieran Shanahan, 24, is on the three-year general management scheme in retail at Asda

I started working for Asda at 16-years-old in Huddersfield. When I went to Nottingham Trent University, I was able to "store swap" to Nottingham, where I continued to do a couple of shifts a week throughout my studies.

It was when I was in my final year of my law degree, for which I got a 2.2, that I decided on a career in retail. Asda sent me to the US for a week to attend a shareholders meeting and I loved what I saw and what I heard from other graduates who'd been on the management training scheme. Also, I'd grown to really enjoy the culture of Asda and was attracted to the fast-pace of working in retail. I liked the idea of early responsibility too. Indeed, within six months I had 40 people working for me and was recruiting and developing people as part of my daily job.

I initially joined the scheme in October 2003 and started off with six months training which, took place partly in classrooms and partly in-store. I then moved to the Doncaster store, where I stayed for a year as a manager and this March I moved to Wakefield, where I am now team leader and have 300 people working for me, some of whom are managers. The kinds of things I do include checking sales figures and waste, dealing with complaints and dealing with other managers and colleagues.

It's great fun, particularly at Christmas. That is the hardest week of the year, but there is such a buzz. Everyone mucks in and the atmosphere is fantastic. The pay is good too. I started off on £19,000 and I'm now on £25,000. The downsides of the job are it's really hard work, often physical and there are long hours.

The attributes you need to do my job are resilience, dedication and the ability to be a good team player. You also need a good sense of humour. My aim is to run my own store within three years and I'm really looking forward to it.

'The NHS scheme offered variety and early responsibility'

Last year, Sheenagh de Silva, 27, completed the two-year NHS general management training scheme (GMTS)

One of the most exciting parts of the training programme was working as a production assistant for ITV News and as a public relations officer in Sydney, Australia. As part of the scheme, the NHS supports you in a field of your choice and mine was communications.

I graduated from UCL in September 2000 with a 2.1 in modern European studies. After travelling for a year and doing a year's work experience, I started looking at graduate trainee schemes. The NHS one stood out because it offered a great deal of variety and early responsibility.

The orientation period began in September 2002. It lasted a few months and was invaluable in terms of getting to know the context I'd be working in. My first placement was at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, where I managed the endocrinology and diabetes services. Later, I started my second placement at Kensington and Chelsea Primary Care Trust, where I was involved in developing services for older people.

On the academic side, the general scheme requires participants to study for a Masters in health care management. It's sometimes tough working and studying, but it's fun to meet the other national trainees and interesting to relate policy to what you're doing on a national basis.

On completing the training scheme, I was asked to establish a Stop Smoking Service to support the national smoking cessation campaign. In this role, I managed everything from writing the strategy to marketing the service, working with lots of partners to achieve our target.

I'm about to make my next move to the Department of Health. There, I will be working with the EU Presidency team on health inequalities, which is right up my street. I am really excited about my new post as it is a unique, high-profile project that should open up lots of opportunities. I'll also get to use my academic background while learning about government and international health policy.