The University of Worcester Business School’s efforts to create work experience opportunities for students during the pandemic have led to a shortlisting for a national award.
Sally Docherty, Placements, Internships & Springboard Manager in the University's Business School
Sally Docherty, Placements, Internships & Springboard Manager in the Business School, is in the running for Outstanding Contribution to Work Experience in the 2022 National Undergraduate Employability Awards.
The Awards, which celebrate and reward excellence in undergraduate employability among employers, agencies, students and universities, will be decided at a ceremony next month. This particular award celebrates the invaluable contributions made by a particular individual within a university to help students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities in the past year.
The shortlisting relates to the University’s introduction of a new Springboard Programme, which was designed to fill the gap when many Business students’ 12-month placements were cancelled during the pandemic.
Ms Docherty said during the first lockdown, the Business School implemented many measures to support students, such as detailed video resources, virtual drop-in clinics, partnerships to offer virtual internships and two virtual careers fairs in Business, Computing, Accounting and Finance. However, she wanted to go further to support students unable to take up placements, as well as the local business community. “I created and launched the Springboard Programme in the hope of meeting this need,” she said. “Springboard is a flexible work experience programme matching Business and Computing students with local, short-term, degree-relevant, paid or voluntary work opportunities to do alongside their studies. It meant our students continued to gain relevant and real-life experience of the workplace, local industry contacts and dissertation material throughout Covid-19.”
Launched in September 2020, the Programme has continued and now complements the University’s other regular placement opportunities, allowing students to do a 12 month undergraduate placement or 3-6 month postgraduate placement as well as roles within the Springboard scheme. This gives students a greater level of experience, while also providing local businesses with a flexible way to tap into student talent to make a real impact on their company. So far the scheme has introduced more than 60 new employers to the Business School, many of whom now work with the Business School in other areas too. The initiative has also provided useful insights into which skills are needed in the business community, which the Business School can use this to inform development of its courses.
The Business School has previously been shortlisted in the Best Placements Service award last year and in 2018. Through the Business School’s Placements Office, students are offered extensive support and guidance to find their placements with weekly practical taught sessions, careers fairs and virtual exhibitions, and a 5-day-a-week support service.
Anne-Marie McTavish, Head of the University’s Business School, said: “We are proud to be shortlisted and recognised for our forward-thinking initiative to support students and give them opportunities to get experience in the workplace despite the challenges presented by Covid-19. This scheme, created in the midst of a pandemic, has in fact led to an enhanced placement programme in the longer term, for the benefit of current and future students. It is a testament to the Business School’s hard work and dedication to its students and to giving them the best start on their journey into their chosen career.”