East Kilbride IT firm Eureka Solutions downloads University of Strathclyde apprenticeship tie-up

East Kilbride-based Eureka Solutions has officially inked a Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) partnership with the University of Strathclyde, a move the software company says will help create its next generation of leaders.

The £5m-a-year company, which provides business-management software, has taken on two new GAs, who will combine workplace learning and real-life experience with a computer science degree.

The business-systems specialist adds that it is building on the success of its first intake of GAs, which saw them to progress to fully qualified developer roles in the business. It will now look to welcome and develop the next intake of budding talents onto its 70-strong payroll.

Stephanie Kelly, HR and learning and development manager at Eureka, said: “The lifeblood of any ambitious company is the pipeline of young talent who bring fresh thinking and enthusiasm, which can be harnessed and matched up with the experience of senior staff who know the inner working of the business.

“We are already benefiting from the contribution of our first two [GAs] who obtained first-class honours in computer science, and it is clear that we should build on this experience by extending the scheme.

“To formalise this, we are delighted to establish a partnership with University of Strathclyde, one of the country’s leading learning centres in computer science, and to be able to offer opportunities to other young undergraduates who show promise and a desire to succeed.”

The two new recruits will join the business after leaving school this summer and will work four days a week at Eureka Solutions’ South Lanarkshire office, with one day at university, and an element of home learning included.

Stephanie Kelly, HR and learning and development manager at Eureka, says the firm is passionate about growing its own talent. Picture: Ian Georgeson Photography.

Dr Alex Coddington, associate dean (degree apprenticeships), in the Faculty of Science at the University of Strathclyde, said: “We are delighted Eureka Solutions has chosen to partner with us for our graduate apprenticeship programme as this further adds to our breadth of employer partners.”

The GA scheme is supported by Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council and as at July 2021 had helped more than 3,500 participants, with support from more than 500 employers in that year.

Eureka Solutions recently flagged a 15 per cent increase in turnover and expansion of its team, after in October announcing a management shake-up and “radical” refocus.