Inside KTL and Strathclyde’s Graduate Apprenticeship Programme with Charlie Grogan

KTL’s appointment of Charlie Grogan in 2024 as its first graduate apprentice reflects its commitment to developing future talent through strong industry–academic partnership.

At the heart of this initiative is Ava Kerr, Charlie’s project manager and mentor, who, alongside Paul Korzeniewski, helped turn an idea at a school alumni careers fair into a fully functioning four-year graduate apprenticeship.

Over the last couple of years, Ava and Paul attended the St Ambrose High School careers fairs in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, which gave them firsthand insight into a growing number of students actively seeking alternatives to the traditional university-only route.

“We were meeting students who wanted real experience alongside their studies,” Ava explains. “At the same time, we already had strong academic links, so it felt like the right time to explore something more structured.”

Why the University of Strathclyde?

Having completed her own degrees via the University of Strathclyde, Ava was already familiar with graduate apprenticeship pathways and knew demand for them was increasing.

Partnering with Strathclyde was a natural choice. Ava’s previous experience as a student meant she knew who to contact, how the programme worked, and what timelines were involved. KTL also has a long-standing relationship with the university, including sponsorship of the Project Management course.

Making the four-year model work

While the four-year structure is set by the university, KTL’s focus was on making the experience practical and relevant within that framework.

“The mix of academic learning and on-the-job experience over four years is strong,” Ava says. “By the end of it, apprentices should be in a position to step straight into a full-time role.”

Although KTL had no input into the academic curriculum itself, the workplace experience was deliberately structured to mirror what apprentices were learning at university, allowing theory to be reinforced through real, live projects across the business.

Bringing the programme to life: Charlie’s experience

For Charlie, an 18-year-old from Coatbridge and former student of St Ambrose High School, the opportunity began with a conversation at a careers fair.

“What stood out was how much time Ava and Paul took to understand what I wanted to do,” he says. “They were genuinely enthusiastic about trying to make something happen.”

That enthusiasm translated into action. Today, Charlie balances academic study in Business and Project Management with hands-on experience at KTL, applying classroom learning directly to real-world situations.

“What excites me most is being able to put what I learn at university into practice straight away,” Charlie explains. “It makes everything more interesting and helps me build confidence much earlier.”

Early impact and long-term vision: Ava’s experience

Seeing the programme come to life has been particularly rewarding for Ava.

“Watching Charlie apply what he’s learning academically to real work has shown us the structure works,” she says. “It’s also something I’m genuinely proud of — that KTL has committed to supporting early careers in a meaningful way.”

A model for the future

For Charlie, the goal is a strong academic foundation, real confidence, and a clear pathway into a full-time role. For KTL, it’s about building a entry level talent pipeline: bringing people into the business early and helping them grow long-term.

“It’s an effective way to develop skills, bring people into the business early, and help them grow,” she says. “For us, this feels like a strong foundation, and potentially a model for how we approach skills development in the future.”

As Charlie looks ahead, his definition of success is simple: graduating with strong results, growing personally and professionally, and taking on greater responsibility within the company.

To find out more about KTL careers, visit ktl.ie/careers.