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Careers at SSE
As an energy provider, SSE operates over a wide range of sectors and requires staff with expertise in a wide range of specialisms. If you are looking at the graduate scheme, then its training programmes are in the following areas:
- Finance
- Business and commercial
- IT and technology
- Engineering
- Project sales
The graduate development programme is a 3-year training opportunity that gives you invaluable hands-on experience while pursuing relevant qualifications. Similarly, apprenticeships are 3–4 years and cover a range of disciplines such as jointer, fitter, digital, and lines.
SSE Application Process
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1
Online Application
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2
Online Psychometric Tests
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3
Digital Interview
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4
Virtual Assessment Centre
For early career pathways, including apprenticeships and the graduate scheme, the application process looks like this:
- Online application
- Online tests
- Virtual interview
- Assessment centre
There are a variety of different areas of business that you can apply for at SSE, which means that there will be some differences in the types of assessments that you are asked to do.
SSE’s own graduate pages set out what the online stage covers. It comes in two parts, a situational judgement test and a set of ability tests covering numerical, inductive and deductive reasoning.
SSE does not say who builds the tests, but it points candidates towards SHL practice questions, which is a useful steer on the style to expect. Strong verbal reasoning is worth building too, since the situational judgement test, the video interview and the final assessment all turn on reading a scenario quickly and accurately.
SSE Aptitude Tests
SSE numerical reasoning test
Most positions require a numerical reasoning test, since they show an aptitude with processing and interpreting numerical information such as schedules, financial reports, and progress statistics. Generally, numerical reasoning deals with basic arithmetic, percentages, graphs, and data interpretation.
If you are applying for a financial or sales position, you may also be expected to answer financial reasoning questions, which are more specific to that area and require more knowledge of terminology and financial concepts.
SSE inductive reasoning test
Inductive reasoning tests show you a series of shapes or patterns and ask you to work out the rule connecting them, then apply it. There is no wording and no arithmetic, which is rather the point, because they measure how quickly you find structure in unfamiliar information.
They reward a systematic approach. Take one feature at a time, such as rotation, shading or the number of elements, rather than trying to absorb the whole sequence at once. Working through plenty of practice patterns is the fastest way to build that habit.
SSE deductive reasoning test
The third ability test is deductive reasoning, a form of logical reasoning that hands you a set of facts and asks what must follow from them.
This means that you use the information given to you to follow the logic to find the correct answer. They do not rely on any prior knowledge, so you will have all the information that you need to deduce the answer within the question, though they can be quite abstract.
SSE situational judgement test
One of the tests that everyone is asked to complete is a situational judgement test, a practice that is becoming more common in recruitment in general.
As the name suggests, a situational judgement test assesses your behaviour and values by presenting workplace scenarios and asking you to rank responses in order of which you think is most suitable. This way, recruiters can get an understanding for how you might perform on the job and whether you are a good cultural fit for the company, as your responses will be measured against their values and guidelines.
