PLACEMENTS, INTERNSHIPS AND PROJECTS FOR BUSINESS
DURHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
TURN OUR TALENT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE From three-month consultancy projects to mutually enriching placements and internships, we offer diverse opportunities for your organisation to work with our students. As an internationally renowned business school we attract high calibre students who, through our distinctive combination of academic and practical learning, are able to adjust quickly to the workplace and provide specialist knowledge to help your business meet the global challenges you face. There are three routes to access the valuable resources from our global student talent pool:
PROJECTS AVAILABLE
STUDENTS INVOLVED
UNDERGRADUATE
SKILLS SET
Contemporary business ideas
Specialist disciplines: MASTERS
Marketing Management Finance Economics HR
Management experience MBA
Consultancy Strategic recommendations
Placements
Internships
40 weeks June to September
8-12 weeks commencing June or September
Strategic Business Projects 10 weeks commencing June or September
Our progressive and dynamic approach has helped many businesses by providing experience, expertise and insight. Let us work with you to facilitate the development of your organisation and make a lasting contribution to the business world.
PLACEMENTS OVERVIEW During the third year of their degree programme, our undergraduates may choose to undertake a business placement. This aspect of the programme is highly beneficial to both student and host organisation. Students are given an exceptional learning platform and direct experience of real world business. Your organisation, as host, gains access to fresh thinking and an almost limitless source of world-class talent.
STRUCTURE Placements span a minimum of 40 weeks over 15 months from late June to September the following year. Placement Co-ordinators work closely with hosts throughout, with an academic tutor always on hand to support the student. To ensure a smooth experience, we ask hosts to nominate a colleague to take overall responsibility. This person should provide clear objectives, a range of development opportunities, and prepare a performance report on completion of the placement. This balance of real-world challenge, support and mentoring helps to build student confidence, provides relevant experience and enhances employment prospects. It also adds to your resources and allows you to test drive a potential employee.
INTERNSHIPS
STRATEGIC BUSINESS PROJECTS
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
An internship can invigorate your business and allow you to assess the competencies and compatibility of a potential employee. By providing students with the opportunity to apply their skills to real-life scenarios or gain experience in an area of interest, your organisation will benefit from fresh
Each year, our postgraduate students have the opportunity to work with an organisation on a research project that will examine a strategic business issue. By participating you will receive consultancy and strategic recommendations from either an MBA or a Masters student.
ideas, energy and knowledge.
STRUCTURE Internships have two intakes each year which commence in both June and September and typically last between two to three months. They are available to students at all levels of study, from undergraduates looking for a foothold in the job market, to Masters and MBA students with a postgraduate qualification and/or experience. We can actively assist you in promoting your opportunities to our students. An intern can bring fresh ideas, insights and innovation to all kinds of organisations, giving you the extra capacity to pursue a new initiative or project away from your core business. For many partners internships have become a valuable and cost effective way of recruiting tried and tested talent.
PLACEMENTS AND INTERNSHIPS BENEFITS TO YOUR BUSINESS • I dea generation Employ contemporary business thinking to compliment your current organisational skills. • Flexible, cost effective resource The Business School can advertise opportunities to our students with no cost to your company. • Professional development Offer current staff the opportunity to mentor or supervise candidates to improve their own skills. • R ecruitment Create an opportunity to access potential new recruits to your organisation. • I ncreased profile Enhance your brand awareness at a top UK University by engaging with our students.
PROJECT HOST PROCESS Submit project area of interest / Strategic business issue
Attend networking event to promote your project / meet students
STRUCTURE These ten week projects can take place from June to September or from September to December and enable you to explore key business issues at no cost. You’ll benefit from a full written report and analysis informed by the very latest business thinking. Projects tackle important issues or areas for strategic development and can be internally facing (e.g. hiring strategy, corporate culture, corporate social responsibility) or externally facing (for e.g. marketing strategies, new market entry strategy, or competitor analysis). Projects may cross departmental boundaries in order to tackle wider issues such as HR or finance issues. Our students apply their academic teaching to practical real-life examples, culminating in a final management report with recommendations for your business. We will collaborate with you to generate consultancy ideas and ensure the project meets your business demands.
PAST ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN BUSINESS PROJECTS:
Review applications / invite candidates to interview / discuss project opportunities
Offer project to student / confirm project title and overview
Define exact project scope in collaboration with student and academic supervisor
When project scope approved by School, draw up contract with student to agree parameters, expectations, deliverables
Approve and sign non-disclosure agreement
Project period commences
Student presents findings/provides report
BENEFITS TO YOUR BUSINESS • A dedicated individual who can work remotely or on-site, to deliver high quality tailored research into key issues affecting your business • Practical recommendations derived from cutting edge thinking that deliver a competitive advantage and improve performance • Access to a student from a multicultural teaching environment who understands the international nature of business.
Corporate Relations Durham University Business School Mill Hill Lane, Durham DH1 3LB, UK T +44 (0) 191 334 5200 E business.extrelations@durham.ac.uk
Every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this publication is correct as of December 2014. The University will use reasonable endeavours to deliver programmes and other services in accordance with the descriptions provided. Copyright Š Durham University 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the University.
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