Siemens vs Airbus Graduate Scheme 2027: Which Engineering Route Fits You?
“ambition, drive and ownership”
Enzo, Siemens Graduate Programme alum, on what marks out successful participants. This is one alumnus’s view. Source: Siemens, Siemens Graduate Programme
The Siemens vs Airbus graduate scheme choice is really a choice between three routes. Siemens has two: a UK register-your-interest posting for Siemens Mobility, the rail business, and the global Siemens Graduate Programme (SGP). Airbus has one flagship route, the Airbus Global Graduate Programme (AGGP), a two-year rotational programme. Our full guides cover each in detail: the Siemens graduate scheme and the Airbus graduate scheme. If you are also weighing tech employers, see our BT graduate scheme guide and our Microsoft vs Google comparison.
Siemens vs Airbus graduate scheme at a glance
| Siemens | Airbus | |
|---|---|---|
| Routes | Siemens Mobility register-interest posting; global Siemens Graduate Programme (SGP) | Airbus Global Graduate Programme (AGGP) |
| Length | Mobility: varies by role. SGP: 24 months | 2 years of rotations, then at least 12 months back in your home team |
| Who | Mobility: a relevant engineering or business degree, in progress or completed. SGP: master’s graduates | Degree-level qualification and no more than 3 years of relevant work experience |
| Current status | Mobility posting is open (it can close based on volumes) | AGGP 2027 closed; final roles closed on 3 October 2026 |
| Next window | Rolling: register now, apply when a role appears | Expected to open around September 2027 |
| Visa sponsorship | Not available for early careers roles | The Skilled Worker Visa is not available for this programme |
The single biggest difference: open now vs closed until September
Siemens is the route you can act on today: the Siemens Mobility posting (Job ID 512295, posted 1 July 2026) is a register-your-interest form, and Siemens says it matches your details against graduate and intern programmes starting from summer 2027. The official posting warns that Siemens may close registrations based on volumes, so register early. Airbus is closed: its official AGGP page lists AGGP 2027 as closed, and the next intake is expected to open in September. In short: Siemens lets you start now, Airbus rewards you for preparing now and applying in September.
Siemens vs Airbus graduate scheme 2027: pay compared
Neither employer publishes a single graduate salary on the pages we checked. The figures below are reported by Glassdoor users, not published by the companies, so treat them as a guide.
| Siemens | Airbus | |
|---|---|---|
| Reported average base | About £28,000 (Glassdoor, 110 graduate programme reports) | £33,239 (Glassdoor) |
| Typical range | Roughly £28,100–£40,100 (Glassdoor’s own estimate) | £28,110–£40,067 (Glassdoor) |
| Pension | Check your offer | Graduates start on a 4% employee contribution matched by 6% from Airbus (salary sacrifice) |
| Other | Check your offer | Permanent contract from day one; 6x annual salary death-in-service cover |
Most Siemens entries are older UK submissions, so the Airbus figure is not strictly like-for-like. See the sources: Glassdoor, Siemens Graduate Program salaries and Glassdoor, Airbus Graduate Program salaries. To see either salary after tax, use Debut’s Paycheck Calculator.
What the job actually feels like
Siemens describes the SGP as real project work from the first assignment, with a personal mentor and a development manager who helps design your path. Alumna Abiola, who joined Siemens Mobility through the SGP in 2020, describes a first assignment building a business intelligence pipeline to understand the market for a new business area. Airbus describes the AGGP as a global cohort of 40+ nationalities across 13 countries, with annual residential training at its Leadership University. We could not find a named Airbus graduate quote we could verify, so we have not included one. The Enzo quote above is the one named voice we have, and it is about Siemens.
Programme structure
Siemens. The SGP lasts 24 months and is built from three assignments of eight months each, one of them abroad. Siemens describes around 100 active participants from 20 nationalities. The Mobility route varies by role, since it matches you to graduate and intern programmes starting from summer 2027 onwards.
Airbus. The AGGP runs two years with national rotations of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, plus optional, not guaranteed, international rotations of 3 or 6 months. It is not a temporary trainee contract: you get a permanent contract from day one, and after the rotations you return to your home team for at least 12 months. The programme spans engineering, digital technology, cyber security, supply chain, procurement, HR and finance.
Application process
Siemens SGP has three steps, with slight variations by country: CV screening, an initial interview (with a psychometric assessment in some countries), then an assessment centre, virtual or on-site. Siemens does not accept CVs by email and warns that real invitations come from an official Siemens email address. Airbus AGGP has three stages too: an online application (you may make only one application per cycle), the Arctic Shores game-based assessment (you get 3 days from receiving the link), then a virtual assessment centre with group exercises and interviews. If you do not meet the criteria in the Arctic Shores assessment, your application, and any later ones in the same window, are declined. Offers typically follow within a week of a successful assessment centre. Prepare with our assessment centre guide and survival guide, and make your CV readable with the ATS-friendly resume guide.
Locations
Siemens Mobility lists UK sites including Chippenham, Ashby de la Zouch, Goole, Northampton, Manchester, York, Glasgow, Coventry, Derby, Birmingham and London. Siemens’ SGP locations page lists where the global programme runs. Airbus UK roles split by business area: Filton and Broughton for Commercial Aircraft engineering, and Portsmouth and Stevenage for Defence & Space.
Deadlines
Siemens Mobility has no fixed deadline, but it can close registrations based on volumes, and it may invite you to events where you can be talent-spotted. Airbus opens AGGP applications each September for a short window and some roles close earlier than others, so the practical plan is to apply as soon as the next intake opens.
Benefits
Airbus lists a 4% employee pension contribution matched by 6% from Airbus and 6x salary death-in-service cover, plus a permanent contract. For Siemens, benefits are not listed on the pages we opened, so confirm them in your offer.
A word from people already doing the job
Enzo’s view of the SGP is “ambition, drive and ownership”. Abiola’s account is of real project work from day one. Both are one person’s experience of one assignment. We found no verifiable named quote from an Airbus graduate, and we would rather say so than invent one.
Siemens vs Airbus graduate scheme 2027: which one should you apply to?
Choose Siemens if you want to register interest right now, you are interested in rail and mobility engineering or business roles, or you are a master’s graduate with time abroad and want the SGP’s three-assignment structure. Choose Airbus if you want a structured two-year rotation with a permanent contract from day one, you are at degree level with up to 3 years of experience, and you can wait for the September window. Remember that Airbus accepts only one AGGP application per cycle, and Siemens does not sponsor visas for early careers roles. For other routes, compare BT, Amazon and Microsoft, or browse the Graduate Scheme hub.
FAQ
Does Siemens or Airbus have a UK graduate scheme?
Both do. Siemens has a UK Mobility register-interest posting and the global SGP. Airbus runs the AGGP, with UK roles at Filton, Broughton, Portsmouth and Stevenage.
Which pays graduates more, Siemens or Airbus?
On reported Glassdoor figures Airbus averages £33,239 and Siemens about £28,000. Neither company publishes one figure, so check your offer.
Is the Siemens Mobility posting a job application?
No. It is a registration of interest, and you apply for specific roles as they appear.
Do I need a master’s degree?
Not for Siemens Mobility or the Airbus AGGP. The Siemens SGP is for master’s graduates.
Do Siemens and Airbus sponsor visas for graduates?
Siemens says it cannot consider applicants who need visa sponsorship for early careers roles. Airbus says the Skilled Worker Visa is not available for the AGGP.
Can I apply to more than one Airbus graduate role?
No. Airbus accepts one AGGP application per recruitment cycle.
