This blog gives you the lowdown on Auto Trader's Graduate Academy - a two-year program packed with real-world projects, personal growth, and everything you need to succeed.

If you're a recent graduate looking to launch your career in a dynamic, supportive environment, Auto Trader's Graduate Academy is the perfect place to start! Our two-year program isn't just about learning the ropes - it's an experience designed to help you grow, develop new skills, and set yourself up for long-term success.

Why Choose Auto Trader?

We've been running our Graduate Academy for a while now, and we've refined it over the years based on feedback from our grads and the changing needs of our business. The program is always evolving - which means it's not a one-size-fits-all approach. We don't believe in setting strict grades or subject requirements because we know talent comes from all kinds of backgrounds.

Our goal is to attract passionate, adaptable, curious individuals who are eager to learn, regardless of what they studied, and provide a learning environment as bespoke and tailored to you as possible

So, whether you're into tech, marketing, finance, software engineering, or something else, if you've graduated within the last five years, you're welcome to apply for any of our Graduate roles.

What You Can Expect

Our Graduate Academy is designed to take you on a learning journey but with real responsibility, starting from day one. You'll have the opportunity to work on exciting projects, connect with colleagues from across the business, and receive all the support you need to grow both professionally and personally.

Here's how the journey breaks down:

The Academy Foundation: Getting Off to a Great Start

Your first six weeks with us will be all about setting you up for success. You'll take part in our Great Start workshops, meet people from different teams, and dive into all things Auto Trader. We've got loads of activities planned to help you understand everything from how we work to who our customers are. It's also a great opportunity to start building relationships with your fellow grads and colleagues.

The Academy Foundation covers key themes, like:

• Understanding Yourself and Others
• Auto Trader & Our Industry
• Our Customers & Consumers
• Our Culture
• Our Technology
• How We Work Together

This foundation phase will help you feel confident and prepared as you begin your role at Auto Trader.

Role Foundation: Getting Stuck In

After the initial six weeks, you'll dive deeper into your specific role within Auto Trader. Whether you're in technology, marketing, finance, or another area, the next six months are all about building your expertise and really getting to grips with your responsibilities. You'll be hands-on from the start, learning by doing, and becoming a key part of your team.

Practical Projects: Real-World Experience

What's better than learning on the job? You'll take part in five practical projects over the course of the program, giving you the chance to apply your skills in real-world situations. These projects are designed to challenge you and build your problem-solving abilities, all while giving you a deeper understanding of our business.

Some of previous projects include:

• Buy & Sell a Vehicle - Experience our core business from a customer's point of view.
• InsightOut - Get hands-on with data and customer insights.
• Collaboration - Solving Business Problems - Work with different teams to find creative solutions.
• Business Operations - Solving Business Problems - Develop strategies to help us run smoothly.
• The Showcase - Present your work and show how much you've grown!

Ongoing Support

You're never alone at Auto Trader. Throughout the Graduate Academy, you'll have a dedicated Tech Mentor - someone who's there to guide you, help you grow, and answer any questions. Plus, our Early Careers team will regularly check in with you, offering career coaching, feedback, and advice to make sure you're getting the most out of the program.

What Happens After the Graduate Academy?

Once you've completed the two-year Graduate Academy, the support doesn't just stop. We'll continue to help you with career coaching and opportunities for growth for another year, making sure you're well-prepared to take the next steps in your journey with us.

Interested? Here's How to Apply

If all this sounds exciting, and you're ready to take the next step in your career, we'd love to hear from you! Recruitment for our Graduate Academy kicks off every autumn, and we plan our roles well in advance to make sure we're always bringing in the right talent for the future.

So, if you're a graduate looking for a place to grow, learn, and make an impact, visit here on our careers page and check out our latest opportunities.

We're looking forward to meeting you!