Category Archives: Management and Consultancy

Employer Case Study: Coldharbour Mill Trust Limited

Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, , , ,

Name of Organisation:  Coldharbour Mill Trust Limited

Description of Organisation: Coldharbour Mill is one of the oldest woollen mills in the UK having been in continuous production since 1797. Originally owned by world-renowned textile producers Fox Brothers, the Mill took fleece from all over the world and transformed it into yarn, cloth and textiles. Today the rich heritage lives on as one of the finest working wool museums where visitors are not just able to relive the sights and sounds of the industrial revolution but also see crafts men and women making traditional textiles, beautiful knitting yarn and hand-woven rugs.

Name of Employer:  Peter Holdway-Bradely

Job Title: General Manager

Internship Scheme used: Green Consultants 

Feedback:

“We recruited an intern to work as a Green Consultant. He created a great carbon impact report which encompassed the work we currently do, what we could do in the future and some areas we had not yet thought of tackling.

He was very focused and dealt well with some of the areas where company knowledge or historical information was difficult to find. The intern was hard-working, focused and determined – and even pushed through when there were challenges in finding the correct information to analyse for the report.

We were very happy with the student’s work and with this experience and we hope that our intern would be able to say the same. Carbon Neutrality is something that the Board of Trustees is setting as an aim for the trust, and the Green Consultants work will be a great starting point as we embark on a more structured and focussed approach to our impact on the environment.

The scheme itself was very easy to work with and a great resource for organisations such as us, who may lack funds to focus on some of these key topics if this scheme wasn’t available. I would highly recommend the Green Consultant Programme to other companies.”

Employer Case Study: London Borough of Sutton Council

Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, ,

Name of Organisation:  London Borough of Sutton Council

Description of Organisation: London Borough of Sutton Council offers a range of statutory services to the local community.

Name of Employer:  Katrina Lloyd

Job Title: Sustainability Manager

Internship Scheme used: Green Consultants

Feedback:

“We recruited an intern to work as a Green Consultant. The intern worked on a number of pieces of work including a schools food waste project where she was contacting schools to identify what collections were in place, who would be interested in a service and identifying suitable contractors to deliver the service.

The intern also complied a comprehensive set of data and statistics to support our communications work as well as, researching free and easy to access recycling schemes to promote to residents.

We had some minor technical difficulties, but the student borrowed a friend’s laptop and was able to overcome them quickly – usual problems with working at home and on new platforms.

The Green Consultants programme is a great experience, we have always been provided with an excellent calibre of student who have been hard working and delivered great results.”

Employer Case Study: ClearLead Consulting Ltd

Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, , , ,

Name of Organisation:  ClearLead Consulting Ltd

Description of Organisation: ClearLead Consulting is an international energy and sustainability consulting company founded in 2012, with offices in Canada, the UK, and Ireland.  ClearLead takes pride in giving our clients straight, practical advice and support, with a commitment to conduct work that is useful and makes a difference to clients.

ClearLead specialises in helping commercial, industrial and public sector clients reduce their energy costs, operate more sustainably and comply with complex environmental regulation, both in the UK and internationally.  ClearLead aims to lead by example and are therefore working to become carbon neutral as a company.

ClearLead’s services in the sustainability and energy field include corporate sustainability and carbon neutrality/net zero strategies and assessments; Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) audits; energy audits and surveys; energy metering and monitoring systems; renewable feasibility studies and appraisals; resource efficiency (water and waste) programmes; carbon footprinting; training and behavioural change management programmes.

For more information, please see http://clearleadconsulting.com/.

Name of Employer:  Dave Covell

Job Title: Director

Internship Scheme used: Green Consultants 

Feedback:

“We recruited an intern to work as a Green Consultant. Over the three weeks that our intern was with us he did a huge variety of different tasks that contributed to client work both fee earning and proposal writing as well as, improving some of the calculations for our internal carbon footprint in work.

The covid restrictions were probably the biggest obstacle to our intern’s time with us was that the restrictions impaired his ability to meet and get to know the team. However, the student worked admirably in building relationships through Teams and Zoom with the key folk in the business in very difficult circumstances which was very admirable.

As a result of this internship, we offered our intern an extension as we were so impressed with his work. We were very happy to welcome him to our team. I highly recommend the University of Exeter internship scheme to all businesses, we found it extremely valuable.”

Student Quote:

“The internship has opened my eyes to the importance of work experience. It has given me a far broader understanding of the standards expected in the workplace and identified crucial gaps in my knowledge that academia struggles to cover. The value of work experience cannot be overstated, and I encourage graduates in any discipline to investigate these kinds of opportunities as a means of improving their employability.”

Student Blog:

Clearleadconsulting.com/news/posts/clearlead-consulting-internship-experience-may-2021/

Employer Case Study: Appen 

Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Information Technology, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, , , ,

Name of Organisation:  Appen

Description of Organisation: Appen collects and labels images, text, speech, audio, video, and other data used to build and continuously improve the world’s most innovative artificial intelligence systems. Our expertise includes having a global crowd of over 1 million skilled contractors who speak over 235 languages, in over 70,000 locations and 170 countries, and the industry’s most advanced AI-assisted data annotation platform. Our reliable training data gives leaders in technology, automotive, financial services, retail, healthcare, and governments the confidence to deploy world-class AI products. Founded in 1996, Appen has customers and offices globally.

Name of Employer: Morag Van Niekerk

Job Title: Business Operations Manager

Internship Scheme used: Green Consultants

Feedback:

“We recruited an intern to work as a Green Consultant as we were developing our Sustainability policy over the next year and the internship would provide great support with this piece of work.

The student looked into how we can catalyse good practice across our sites. She also calculated our GHG emissions and created a waste management plan and environmental policy. This was completed to a very high standard.

The whole experience has been a very positive experience for the company. Our intern’s knowledge and skills exceeded our expectations and she contributed considerably to our new ESG, Sustainability and Impact initiative. With her input we have completed our Scope 1 and 2 GHG inventory calculations. I would highly recommend the Green Consultants Scheme, we found it very valuable.”

Student Case Study – True Story

Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Degree subject, English, Management and Consultancy, Retail, ,

Name of Student:  Emma Fear

Degree Subject:  BA English

Job Title:  Christmas Account Manager

Company Name:  True Story

Type of Internship:  Santander SME

Description of Company: As an independent creative agency, we’re used to working with brands and retailers across all channels, both in the UK and globally. Our concepts translate into real-world experiences for customers that deliver measurable commercial results. 

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

I was on a team that was the liaison point between a large team of designers and the Boots UK in store marketing Christmas team. I had to ensure briefs were communicated effectively and deadlines were met for delivering completed artwork files to the client.   

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer? 

I produced weekly market research reports for Boots which allowed other account managers more time to manage larger projects and also gave Boots an insight into their competitors. I also ensured that artwork files were delivered in a timely manner so that print deadlines were hit. This meant being aware of the designers workloads and timeframes and doing everything in my power to support them to reach the deadlines we set.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

Boots asked true story to produce prototype artwork of in store marketing materials that were not yet fully completed in the creative stage for use in a mock-up show room. I project managed this whole product, which meant delivering over 200 pieces of prototype artwork to a really tight deadline. To do this, I ensured I provided daily updates to the client, the designers and the rest of my team so we were all aware of how much work was left to do. I also made sure that things went as smoothly as possible by remaining in constant communication with the client so feedback could be delivered and auctioned promptly. We ended up meeting the deadline and all material was in the showroom on time for the senior members of the Boots team to see it.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges? 

There were large issues on a piece of work I was covering for somebody who was on holiday. As I was the only one in the office, I had to ensure that the client knew the limitations of the situation and the problems we had. This was incredibly difficult as it was not a client I had built up previous rapport with and this was my first dealings with them. I overcame these challenges by remaining calm and honest with the client and helping them to understand how the situation had occurred. I also contacted my line manager and alerted her to the problem so that if it escalated further she would know the situation clearly enough to have an input. This move proved invaluable when she was later called up and asked to make an important decision regarding this project.

Skills Learnt:

  • Problem solving
  • Negotiation
  • Persuasion
  • Leadership
  • Customer Service

Attributes Developed:

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

“My internship was enormously useful to me both personally and professionally. It has given me the confidence and experience to pursue a graduate position in a large company and taught me so much about having a full-time job.”

 

Student Case Study-Ridgeway Information Ltd

Access to Internships (A2I), Degree subject, History, Internship Schemes, Language and Translation, Management and Consultancy, Politics and International Relations, Student Business Partnership (SBP), , , , , ,

Name of Student:  Umaira Navaid

Degree Subject: BA History and Politics, MA Applied Security and Strategy

Job Title:  Research Intern

Company Name:  Ridgeway Information Ltd

Type of Internship:  Access to Internships (A2I), Student Business Partnerships (SBPs)

Description of Company: We work with major corporates, not-for-profit and public sector organisations. Our current and previous clients include the United Nations, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the European Union, the UK Gambling Commission, multinationals and private clients. We give our clients the confidence to identify opportunities, mitigate risks, tackle challenges and understand the landscapes they inhabit. We do this by providing verifiable insight gained through expert research and analysis of client-supplied and open sources.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My key duties and responsibilities were to help research and write reports on nuclear proliferation. I also created resources for some of the training schemes the company provides.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I produced a report for the IAEA on Pakistan’s nuclear complex using my Urdu language skills. I also helped produce two other reports on Taiwan and Jordan. I planned and produced a short activity for people who undertake the OSINT course with Ridgeway. My skills in Urdu led the IAEA to have a better understanding of what is being written and posted about nuclear ongoings in Pakistan.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I was tasked with researching and writing about Pakistan and its new Nuclear Complex from sources in Urdu. I was able to read and translate sources that would have otherwise been unusable. I wrote a report summarising my findings.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

It was difficult to find much information at first and I spent many days without any relevant information. However, with further encouragement, I was later able to find better details and make the most of my findings.

Skills Learnt 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Communication
  • Team Work and Collaboration
  • Problem Solving
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed 

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Perseverance

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“My internship was both fun and hard work. My colleagues were extremely friendly and the Access to Internship team is super helpful. I worked on a number of projects with Ridgeway and was impressed with the amount of autonomy I was given during my time here. I was also given good career and life advice and feel like I have a better idea of what I want to do in the future and my options.”

Regeneratus Consulting 1 Limited – Employer Case Study

Access to Internships (A2I), Business and Management, Economics, Employer Feedback, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, Uncategorized, , , ,

Name of Organisation:  Regeneratus Consulting 1 Limited

Description of Organisation: Based in Exeter, Regeneratus Consulting is a consultancy firm with a focus on helping develop and improve businesses of all shapes and sizes from owner-managed SMEs to FTSE 100 companies.  We are currently helping clients with turnovers ranging from £100k to £20bn.

Name of Employer:  Robert Install

Job Title: Managing Director

Internship Scheme used:  Access to Internships (A2I), Student Business Partnerships (SBPs)

Feedback:

I was really impressed with our Business Analyst intern.  He was polite, organised and efficient with good insight and an impressive commercial acumen. He helped source potential funders for a debt advisory mandate we were involved with which generated some income and also provided some helpful research and analysis.  I am confident that he will have a highly successful career and I was particularly impressed with the diligence he was showing in terms of sourcing graduate roles and summer internships in his first year.

The Internship Scheme run by the University exceeded our expectations, the quality of the applicants and the intern we hired was very impressive.  I would recommend it to any small business looking to source potential graduate talent and help develop students for the workplace and when the business requires it, will certainly be using the service again.

Quote from Intern:

“Aided in providing debt advisory services to a Welsh government-backed construction group, by securing £3m against assets. As well as, led research for in-house investment opportunities; created target profiles, forecasted returns and made recommendations.”

Morgan Hill Consultants – Employer Case Study

Accounting and Auditing, Accounting and Finance, Administration, Banking and Financial Services, Business and Management, Degree subject, Employer Feedback, Management and Consultancy, Student Business Partnership (SBP), , , ,

 

Name of Organisation: Morgan Hill Consultants

Description of Organisation: We are a team comprising ex CIO’s of multinational businesses, finance professionals, data analysts, data scientists and systems architects. Together we bring hundreds of years of experience in delivering deep insight, cost optimisation and effective deployment of technology inside large organisations.

Name of Employer: Nigel Duke

Job Title: Managing Director

Internship Scheme used:  SBP

Student Business Partnership (SBP) – Employment Services – University of Exeter

Feedback:

We recruited a Data Analyst Support Intern through the Student Business Partnership with the University of Exeter. They helped with the development of a very promising ML algorithm to classify finance data for further analytics. It all went according to plan, there were no issues at all, and it was produced for a very high standard.

We were very impressed with the calibre of the student. We offered our intern an extension which she accepted, and we look forward to continuing working with her.

Our experience was very positive. Our intern was extremely intelligent, diligent, co-operative and very willing to get involved. It was a very positive experience and one that I hope may be repeated.

Equity Sales Intern – Redburn

Access to Internships (A2I), Accounting and Auditing, Accounting and Finance, Administration, Banking and Financial Services, Business and Management, Economics, Management and Consultancy

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

During my internship I shadowed a member of the equity sales team and supported them with their tasks. My tasks included: preparing materials for clients (including reports and presentations), making note of market news stories on a timely basis, researching companies and building a relationship with the research team, and, creating a network with employees and other interns. Over the internship I also carried out a research project.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

My biggest achievement was adding value directly to clients – this was most evident when a piece of research that I had written about dividend stocks, was included in an email to a client.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to reduce the workload of colleagues (e.g. by manipulating data on excel, to free up their time). I was also able to improve the offering to clients, by producing a sector specific information pack for income investors.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Communication, IT, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Commercial awareness, perseverance, creative thinking

Insight, Intelligence and Communications Intern – Southampton City Council

Access to Internships (A2I), Administration, Business and Management, Economics, English, Law, Management and Consultancy, Philosophy, Politics and Government, Politics and International Relations

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I conducted a preparatory briefing on the Brexit White Paper which is circulated to senior staff and councillors of Southampton and completed a task concerning the mapping of public sector and third sector services that tackle serious violence in Southampton in order to inform the council’s decision to bid for Serious Violence Strategy funding. I created a local needs assessment that included current statistics regarding violent, knife, and hate crime, domestic abuse, reoffending rates, comparing the data nationally with statistical neighbours and per individual wards. Additionally, the needs assessment included data on looked after children, deprivation areas and school absences to coincide with the strategy’s youth prevention priority. I reviewed an annual report that records the progress of the actions that respond to the Youth Justice Strategy. From this report I deduced whether the action will remain for the forthcoming year or whether full progress had been made and thus a new action would take its place.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I realised my potential within the policy team and have definitely decided this is the career for me. Specifically, I actually aided the team with their work, especially with the creation of the local needs assessment and thus my internship was beneficial for everyone!

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I efficiently completed each task quicker than expected thus, freed up the teams work to do other tasks.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Problem solving, strategic planning, focus of goals and outcomes

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, cultural awareness, logical thinking