Graduate weaves a web of success with Invest

Graduate Liam Smith was working in a phone shop but knew he’d made the right call when a link on a website changed his career for the better.

Liam, 26 – originally from Dumfries, but now living in Paisley – was struggling to find work in the web design industry, despite having a degree in Web Design and Multimedia.

He’d been working in the phone shop for two and half years when he found out about Invest in Renfrewshire’s graduate internship programme online.

He completed an 11-month internship as a web designer at local company Xtensive. On completion of the internship, his employer, Colin Thomas, offered him a permanent position with the company, and Liam is now still working with Xtensive.

The internship allowed Liam to expand on the basic skills he’d learned at university, up-skill as he learned more about web design, and build his confidence in his abilities. The best part, he says, is knowing his well-earned degree isn’t going to waste.

He said: “You do worry at uni that you won’t get a job at the end of it, and I’m really lucky to have secured such a great position already. I know loads of people who are in the same position I was in a year ago – achieving a degree but struggling to find a job in that field.

My message to any other graduates in that position would be to stay positive. The graduate internship scheme allows you to get a foot on the ladder, and gain the experience that loads of employers want.

You can find out more about Invest in Renfrewshire’s graduate internship scheme here and see live vacancies here.

Xtensive is a local web design and web marketing company. For more information on their services, see their website here.