Graduate Programme

Graduate Programme 2026

Final date to receive applications:
Friday, 13 February 2026, although we may close applications earlier dependent on the number received.

An opportunity to make a difference

Are you looking to start your career at an organisation where you can make a positive difference to people and our planet? Are you curious, numerate, keen to learn, a self-motivated team player who loves reading and researching? Can you develop ideas into strong proposals backed by data?

If this sounds like you, then we’re keen to hear from you. Whether or not you've already considered working in finance and investments, we’re looking for individuals that are excited by a challenge and ready to make an impact.

Our focus is to secure the futures of over a million local government employees - people who have provided valuable service to their communities and society. We’re a c.£60bn global asset owner, and the largest UK asset manager outside London or Edinburgh. We provide innovative investments that aim to deliver sustainable returns over the long term.

Our graduate programme: now open

The application process for our 2026 Graduate programme, starting in September, is now open. The programme provides a solid foundation for a career in investment management including training and accredited qualifications. Our Graduates join us on a permanent contract from day one. Following completion of the graduate programme, you would then progress into a full-time role as an investment analyst.

Diverse thinking is essential for great investment outcomes, so we encourage applications from graduates of all degree backgrounds (and we don’t require a 2:1 or higher). At Border to Coast, we believe investment skills can be taught. Our only pre-requisite is that you have an interest in investment.

About Us

As a customer-owned and customer-focused organisation, integrity is one of our values, as is our collaborative and sustainable approach.

Border to Coast is the largest LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) pool in the UK. We are owned by 11 Local Government Pension Schemes (‘Partner Funds’) who represent 3,100 employers and over a million members. The Partner Funds are Bedfordshire, Cumbria, Durham, East Riding, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Surrey, Teesside, Tyne and Wear and Warwickshire.

The Partner Funds have c.£64bn in investments, of which Border to Coast is responsible for managing and overseeing £55.4bn (as of 31 March 2025).

In October 2025, we confirmed that seven additional LGPS funds would join the partnership following the outcome of the Government-led ‘Fit for the Future’ consultation. The seven funds (Cambridgeshire, East Sussex, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Northamptonshire, and West Sussex) will formally join as Partner Funds in April 2026. They represent 900,000 members employed at 2,500 participating employers with c.£45bn of assets. Together, the 18 Partner Funds will have more than £110bn of assets, strengthening our partnership’s ability to harness scale to be more effective, more resilient, and more impactful.

Our purpose is to make a difference for the LGPS. We seek to do this by providing cost-effective and innovative investment opportunities delivering returns over the long term for Partner Funds, their employers and over 1.1 million LGPS members. We offer investment opportunities across equities, fixed income, private markets, and global and UK real estate. Responsible Investment is central to our work and is embedded in how we invest across our range of assets.

In the last year, the Border to Coast team has won an IPE Silver Award for the UK Real Estate proposition, and the LAPF Investments Outstanding Contribution award for its report ‘Unlocking UK Growth’. It was also shortlisted for Pool of the Year at the LGC Investment Awards.

Our graduate programme: what you’ll be doing

The Border to Coast graduate programme is focused on developing knowledge, skills and behaviours in different areas of investment to make a difference to our Partner Funds’ investment outcomes.

Hands-on experience

Our graduate trainees are immersed in and gain hands-on experience of multiple investment concepts…