What our Business Graduates say
Conar Leach
Business Graduate
“The recruitment process for the Business Graduate programme was more thorough than other jobs, but that helped make sure I was the right fit for Alexander Dennis – but more importantly that Alexander Dennis was the right fit for me.
“I found the assessment centre to be a unique experience in that the nervous anticipation I often felt during job interviews was alleviated almost immediately by the welcoming environment facilitated by the people at Alexander Dennis. I left the assessment centre feeling informed hopeful, and excited for a prospective role as a Business Graduate at Alexander Dennis.
“I am currently undertaking my first rotation within Quality, working on multiple projects organisation-wide from the get-go where I’m making positive change to the company and learning valuable skills and industry knowledge that I can take onto my other placements as a Business Graduate to really develop myself and enrich my future career within Alexander Dennis.”
Georgie Kelly
Change Management Lead
“I joined Alexander Dennis in September 2018 and began my first rotation in AD24, where I spent a year experiencing different roles – from observing Parts Managers and customer visits with Service Managers, to meeting with third party providers to develop our internal process and understanding our manuals for both body and chassis. I was also sent to Las Vegas to train the team on AD24 online.
“I then worked in a hybrid role, supporting process standardisation across multiple U.S. sites, and gaining experience in Operations, Supply Chain, Business Improvement, and Contract Management. Following this, I went to Ireland to support vehicles coming from site and going into service, working on a third-party site. Here, I was able to build relationships and expand my knowledge on mechanical elements of the vehicle.
“The programme offered great exposure across departments and enabled me to build relationships across all levels. I was brought into projects, learning on the job, and thriving on the challenge. Having a mentor from the Executive Leadership Team guided me through the programme and helped me navigate hard decision making, and they still help me in my career development today.
“After the programme, I joined Commercial Finance as an Assistant Commercial Manager. Since then, I have worked within various roles across Alexander Dennis locations and am now a Change Management Lead within Quality Engineering.”
Martín Sanda
Business Graduate
“My journey with Alexander Dennis began in 2023. I was fresh out of university, and unsure of the exact career path I wanted to pursue, therefore a graduate role seemed like the ideal choice. The assessment centre was the most intimate I had experienced, providing the opportunity to connect with current Alexander Dennis employees and graduates, as well as receiving a tour of the Falkirk facility. Shortly after, I was offered the role and began my Alexander Dennis journey a few months later.
“Each rotation has presented unique challenges and opportunities, allowing me to gain valuable experience and test my skill set. My first rotation was in Supply Chain, with the Export team, working alongside our Asia-Pacific team to ensure parts arrived on time for production. This role allowed me to build valuable relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. My second rotation was in Quality, where I worked on a project analysing warranty data to identify areas of high costs and potential improvements. Currently, I am on my third rotation, still within Quality, but with a different focus. I am working alongside the project lead to implement a company-wide change management process, which presents its own challenges, but is deepening my understanding of how departments at Alexander Dennis navigate change.”
Michael Pothan
Head of Commercial Finance (Alexander Dennis Asia Pacific)
“I joined Alexander Dennis in 2016 through its Business Graduate Programme, embarking on a rewarding three year journey of learning and development. My decision to apply was driven by the programme’s promise of hands-on work experience in variety of roles, offering a comprehensive understanding of how business functions integrate and collaborate.
“One of the standout aspects of working at Alexander Dennis is the quality of mentorship. I was given the opportunity to work across different departments and alongside many talented and inspiring people, who generously made time available to provide invaluable guidance and support.
“A defining highlight of the programme was an overseas secondment in Hong Kong, where I gained first hand experience working in an international environment. Navigating cultures, language barriers, currencies and time zones helped broaden my perspective of global business.
“Upon completing the graduate programme, I transitioned into a Finance Manager role and am now Head of Commercial Finance, based in Hong Kong.”
Rachel Clark
Business Graduate
“My journey on the Business Graduate programme began in September 2024. Having recently graduated from university at the time, I was unsure of what career path I wanted to follow. The Business Graduate programme appealed to me because of the rotational aspect of the two-year programme, in which I’d have the opportunity to work within different areas of the business.
“My experience with Alexander Dennis through the recruitment process was unlike others I had been involved in. Particularly the assessment centre, where I had the opportunity to interact with current Alexander Dennis employees and graduates, and was given a tour of the Larbert facility. This allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the culture of Alexander Dennis, as well as the operational aspect.
“My first rotation within Group HR has allowed me to work on various projects, with a number of these being cross-functional, and has given me the opportunity to build relationships with stakeholders across the business, from different functions and sites. Furthermore, the Business Graduate programme offers direct links to those in the executive leadership team through mentorship, with a member of this team supporting and guiding you throughout your journey which I have found to be highly beneficial.”
Rhuaridh Brown
AD24 Business Planning & Support Analyst
“The Alexander Dennis Business Graduate programme gave me a great introduction to the business by allowing me to spend time in a variety of departments, so I could understand the way the organisation works in greater detail and discover where my skillset truly belonged.
“I enjoyed working on challenging projects that pushed me out of my comfort zone, while being able to develop confidence and enhance my skills across a wide variety of tasks. I appreciated spending time in departments such Marketing and Planning, while learning how all the cogs of the business turn and the holistic approach required when facing challenges within Alexander Dennis.
“Unlike some other graduate programmes, you take on a lot of responsibility and can make real changes to the business with projects that are impactful while being able to develop business processes.
“My favourite experience within the programme was within our AD24 department and I now work as a Business Planning & Support Analyst within AD24 and use the skills I developed within the programme to lead a variety of cross-functional projects.”
Ross Mason
Business Graduate
“Since joining Alexander Dennis as a Business Graduate in September 2024, I have been exposed to the inner workings of the company and have already started to build relationships with people across the business. My first rotation on the programme is within the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) department. As part of this rotation, I have been able to visit different sites across the UK and help the team to meet various targets. Furthermore, being able to work closely with team members and others within the business has strengthened my communication and collaboration skills and helped me in producing deliverables.
“The transition into the business was made easier by an informative and interesting assessment centre day, where I got the opportunity to meet people from across the business and learn more about the different functions. I also benefitted from chatting with previous graduates at the assessment centre, to hear about their experience on the programme, from the different rotations they undertook to how it benefitted their career development from the get-go. Overall, this experience made me eager to join the company due to the support Alexander Dennis offers to graduates looking to kickstart their career.”