The business management software company, Eureka Solutions, has taken on two new GAs who will combine workplace learning and real-life experience with a computer science degree at Strathclyde.

Business systems specialist Eureka Solutions is building on the success of the company’s first intake of GA’s, which saw them to progress to fully qualified developer roles within the business.

Having already supported two graduate apprentices through the journey of completing their four-year computer science degrees, Eureka Solutions 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 East Kilbride-headquartered firm was passionate about growing its own talent and that graduate apprenticeships provided a springboard which took ambitious school leavers turned students, and placed them at the heart of the business.

Stephanie 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 Graduate Apprentices 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’s South Lanarkshire office with one day attendance at university and an element of home learning included.

Ms Kelly added: “Problem solving is an important skill which is needed to work in our Development Department and both of our new GAs showed they have this ability during the interview process, as well as having a keen interest in computer science.

“The graduate apprenticeship route is an excellent way for young people to earn as they learn and to gain very important on-the-job experience while working towards a degree. We benefit as a business with their ongoing contribution and at the end of the four years we have well qualified staff who already have an excellent insight into what we do and an exciting career path for the years ahead.”

Dr Alex Coddington, associate dean (degree apprenticeships), faculty of science, 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.

“At Strathclyde, our industrial focus and external engagement provides an unparalleled foundation for apprenticeship degrees of the highest standard providing learners to apply knowledge and expertise in the workplace.”

The Graduate Apprenticeship scheme is supported by Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council and as at July 2021 more than 3,500 people had benefited from the scheme which had been supported by more than 500 employers in that year.