AIM: To explore the impact of an early access master's experiential programme on leadership skills and resilience in new graduate nurses. BACKGROUND: Succession planning for nursing, requires leadership and resilience development in new nurses. Literature suggests that early access to master's education can produce nurses with the necessary skills. DESIGN: A comparative, cross-sectional survey design. METHODOLOGY: A survey using the NHS Leadership Framework Self-Assessment Tool (2012) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25 (2003) was distributed in September 2021, to graduates, two years, post-registration, from an Adult Nursing programme. Self-assessed scores of graduates enrolled directly onto a non-specialist, master's initiative were compared with those who did not undertake the initiative. RESULTS: Findings showed significant correlation between leadership and resilience scores. Master's participants scored themselves more strongly in six of seven Leadership Domains and four of five resilience factors than those not enrolled on the master's, with a difference in the overall mean CD-RISC-25 score of 81.69 for master's graduates, compared with 70.84. Qualitative analysis of examples of additional leadership responsibilities included being in charge, training newer staff and maintaining patient and staff safety. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that master's education, early in graduate nurses' careers, develops leadership skills and resilience required for new nurse leaders. Investment is needed, therefore, in educational opportunities for these new graduates to enable leadership and resilience development and in creating supportive environments allowing the use of this learning to lead change and influence care delivery. This should have a positive impact on patient outcomes, job satisfaction and aid retention.