Insight eyes sales stars of the future

VAR begins search for 18 new graduate sales recruits to work across its three UK offices

Reseller Insight is opening its doors to graduates in the hope of welcoming in some of its future top sales recruits.

The VAR's new graduate programme, which is currently recruiting for its second-ever intake, aims to whittle applicants down to just 18. The chosen few will join the existing sales team for a two-year training period across the VAR's three UK offices in Sheffield, Manchester and Uxbridge.

The three lots of six new starters will shadow sales staff with at least two years' experience at Insight, and will observe experienced staff's calls and meetings while receiving training and support, with presentations and client visits aimed to develop their own portfolio.

Insight is establishing links with universities in Manchester, Salford, Bolton and Sheffield for its current intake, which is planned to be up and running before the summer, following an application and selection process which is currently under way.

The scheme follows a successful pilot graduate scheme launched last September, which saw five graduates join the ranks as sales staff.

Insight's vice president for human resources in EMEA, Peter Richardson, said that in future, graduates will be recruited annually, with the process incorporating candidates from a variety of backgrounds.

"We set a certain search criteria, we ideally look for business-relevant degree subjects, but it is amazing what you can find in terms of talent and competence from a wider selection [of subjects]," he added.

"Sheffield Hallam University runs an ERASMUS [European study abroad] programme, so in the longer term, we hope to be able to recruit those with a European language so we can expand the programme to our French, German and Dutch businesses."

Richardson added that the graduate scheme was launched off the back of a successful apprenticeship programme which recruits young people aged between 17 and 21 into non-sales areas of the business such as human resources, systems and finance.

Insight's EMEA president Stuart Fenton posted on Twitter: "Insight's next graduate intake is due in Q1. We're already over-subscribed! Very excited to see how the new 2013 training programme works."