Unite with bUSINESS

About me

I started my Unite with Business placement in my final year at Lancaster. I was studying Advertising and Marketing and managed to get a placement as a Marketing and Research Assistant for a radio productions company, Savvy Productions, which is based in Manchester. I decided to apply for a placement to help build the amount of practical experience I had on my C.V. and the money was an added bonus.

What I did

Despite being worried about managing the work on top of my degree, the placement was very flexible with the hours I was working each week and I was able to complete the placement without it interfering with my degree. The staff at CEEC were also very helpful and made it very easy to organise.

What I got

The experience and contacts gained through the placement were brilliant. It has given valuable insight and experience into the radio production industry as well as research and marketing activities. This combined with the flexibility of hours and the ability to earn £840 means that I would recommend the placement to anyone who wanted to gain some practical experience for their C.V.’s and earn some money at the same time.

About me

I completed my Unite with Business project in the summer if 2011, between my 2nd and 3rd year of University. I hoped that in completing the project it would help me when coming to apply for a graduate training programme or a job after graduation.

What I did

I completed a sales and communication associate role for a computer software company called Inventya Solutions Ltd. I spent the majority of my time completing internet based market research and also attended meetings with the Managing Directors where we discussed the marketing strategy for the company and produced marketing material to be distributed, with the aim of increasing company sales.

What I got

The experience was invaluable and it allowed me to gain an insight into commercial awareness; I was involved in a lot of the behind the scenes workings of the company. I also gained experience in marketing when I was involved in the production and distribution of a marketing pack that the company was to send to potential buyers and business partners. I would recommend a UwB project to others because I think it was a chance for me to take on an important role in a safe environment

About me

In the process of completing the Lancaster Award I attended one of the insight courses of which the attendees were informed of UwB. I became interested immediately as I had been searching for work experience, and although I was drawing close to the end of my second year I felt it was the perfect time to engage with CEEC.

What I did

I kept up to date with current postings and applied for a placement as a market researcher which to my advantage was one of the modules for my degree, therefore I was able to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical way. The placement was challenging as it demonstrated how theory is only a guideline to business in the real world. The experience showed me the importance of planning and vital role of market research in companies. I was able to work around the clock while still keeping up to date with my client and line manager.

What I got

I enjoyed the placement as it allowed much flexibility and also gave me time for my academic studies. I have already recommended UwB to a few of my friends as the placements really keeps you busy for which you are being paid to give your time and contribution in a meaningful way. It also enhances your CV which looks great to employers and it pushes you that step further when applying for graduate jobs or internships

About me

I graduated in 2010 with an MSc Research Methods of Psychology and shortly after moved to the north west of England. I applied for a UwB placement because I thought it would give me experience in a different working environment along with some important transferrable skills. At first I was apprehensive that my background was not completely relevant to the placements, however I found a very relevant project through Inventya Solutions.

What I did

I conducted a research project for Inventya to obtain an understanding of bringing research concepts to market. This involved learning to use survey software, emailing potential clients, analysing, and putting together a report for the company.

What I got

In fact the UwB placement has given me a great deal more than I expected. It has not only given me experience in a market research environment and an understanding of how this kind of work is carried out, they have also employed me on a more permanent basis. I would recommend a UwB project to any graduates or undergraduates as relevant, paid experience which will aid your employment prospects as well as your understanding of the working environment. Thank you UwB!

About me

After completing my bachelor’s study on Business Administration from Japan I came to Lancaster University to study MSc in E-Business and Innovation. As a business student it was obvious to me that today’s business world is becoming progressively technology dependent. Both my bachelor’s and Master’s degrees were Business-IT multidisciplinary programmes. However, yet I found that the university lectures just tell us what are the useful tools and technologies the businesses use these days. The university usually does not teach us the practical know-how of those tools and technologies. But, in this competitive job market most of the companies ask for skills on specific tools even for the business positions. After realising this fact, I started to play around with the widely used business tools like Google Apps for Business, Salesforce CRM etc. Most of these tools are free to use. Anybody can learn these tools just by clicking here and there (the same way most of us learned Microsoft Word, Excel etc).

What I did

However, I needed some opportunities to apply my skills and that was where Unite With Business (UWB) came in. Under UWB programme, I worked with BioPhorum Operations Group, where my responsibility was to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. With my self-taught CRM knowledge it was not too easy for me to do it right away. However, there are so many learning materials available on the web that all I needed to do was to find out the right materials. Easy-to-use tools are democratising the technology. There are brain-friendly (!) tools available for almost all disciplines. The students just need to find out the right and easy tools of their own disciplines. And then most likely, UWB can offer the right opportunities from its wide range of projects where the students can apply their specific skills.

About me

I am currently pursuing MBA from Lancaster Management School. I have highly benefited from the opportunity provided to me by ‘Unite with Business’ in one of its part time consultancy project offering. The intensity of MBA course lessens during summer term due to elective period. I knew I had free time at hand and was looking for a consultancy project which would help me apply my MBA learning, give me some handy experience and also earn me money in the process. That’s when I got to knew about ‘Unite with Business’ through various mailers sent by university administration. I applied and got selected for an interesting project with Gotec Engineering. The client had designed a concept car and wanted to pitch for funding at Technology Strategy Board IDP7. My role was to assist the client with preparing a business plan for the funding pitch document.

What I did

My experience about working on this project was as good as working on any other MBA consulting project. The client was very professional and was clear in explaining to me my responsibilities and expectations. The ‘Unite with Business’ staff too was very co-operative in assisting in other formalities and in setting out the base rules for assignment. This assignment proved very fruitful in providing me with a handy experience in automobile and manufacturing sector. Although I had a fair experience in consulting during my MBA projects, this was the first instance that I was working independently. It boosted my confidence and in process I made some useful contacts. The technical details about emission technology and low cost car manufacturing which I learned during this assignment were added bonus.

What I got

I have already recommended ‘Unite with Business’ to my batch-mates and other colleagues and most of them are already eyeing few consultancy positions with it. Time permitting; I would like to re-associate myself with ‘Unite with Business’ for another interesting assignment.

About me

I applied for a UwB placement to help me gain work experience within the field of my interest and to get remuneration for the work I did.

What I did

The project was a green technology market research for Stopford Energy and Environment Ltd., a resident environmental consultancy on campus. The project was to facilitate an understanding on the size and nature of the market for the technology, market drivers and market-entry strategies that the consultancy could consider when advising a technology investor.

What I got

The 4 week placement had been a well-worth and interesting experience. It helped me apply the knowledge I had gained from my masters in to a professional context. I learnt a lot more and picked up a few professional skills that would benefit me in the future. The research made me realise that I have an interest in the field of renewable energy and that I am a bit more confident to work in the field professionally.
I would recommend it to the others. The placement would help students like me, get a preview of what the industry is like and above all, it adds value to your CV!

About me

This was a great opportunity to get some experience in a real market and environment and, of course, to earn some money. The internship with UwB also looks great on my CV and it did not require a lot of time effort: you can work whilst you are studying. If the internship is related to your degree, it even helps you to study and understand the things by applying them in practise.

What I did

I worked as a digital marketing consultant for a company called TryitBuyitProperty.com. The experience was great as I was able to use my knowledge in practise straight after the lectures. What is more, the people I was working with were really nice. They understood when things didn't go so well and they were very happy when things went well and improvement the business. I will definitely keep in contact with the company and provide them any advice, if needed. It is also a great opportunity to see how your world will look like in 3 or 4 years when you will graduate and start working for a company.

What I got

I would definitely recommend a UwB placement to others because it provided an unforgettable, crucial and paid experience which is necessary before graduating from University. It is a great chance to improve your knowledge, skills and CV at the same time as you are studying.