Category: Ethical careers

Case Study: Find out about Andreea’s journey with IKEEP!

Posted on by uobcareers

The Intrapreneurial Knowledge Exchange Enterprise Pathway (IKEEP) begins with fully funded training to equip you with the skills to drive innovation and bring fresh thinking to businesses. 

Once you’ve completed your intrapreneurial training, you can apply for a project placement and get the opportunity to take your new skills and help a business solve an innovative challenge. 

 

Andreea Patrunjel, MSc in Computer Science

Andreea Patrunjel, a postgraduate student, studying an MSc in Computer Science at the University of Bristol, took part in the IKEEP programme. She completed IKEEP’s online Intrapreneurial training and went on to apply for and take part in the 4-week project placement. She was matched with a Bristol start-up, Groundwaves, a company which have pioneered some of the most powerful haptic technology, and applied it in a footwear product, fusing the worlds of fashion and technology. 

We caught up with Andreea to hear more about her experience with IKEEP… 

 

What attracted you to participate in the IKEEP Programme?   

The IKEEP Programme appealed to me through its structure. The amazing opportunity to first complete the training aspect and gain intrapreneurial skills, such as business plan development and management skills and then use that knowledge to solve a real-life challenge within the project placement made me want to take part in this programme.   

 

What did you learn from the Intrapreneurial training? 

 The Intrapreneurial training provided me with invaluable knowledge. It was tailored in such a way that new concepts were explained very well, where you could practice what you learnt at every stage of the training.  

The interactive IKEEP video training session at the end was a nice way to go over the material we learnt from the training chapters and use breakout rooms to discuss our thoughts. It really put emphasis on how important teamwork is. The material recommended at the end of each training chapter provided numerous resources which we could access in order to enhance a particular notion.   

 

What did you learn from the business that you were matched with during the project placement?   

I have learnt how important it is to lead with passion, the power to pivot and how these can make a huge difference when you stumble upon challenges. It also gave me a good overview on how you build a start-up. It showed me how extraordinary it is to have the right people in a team to be dynamic; and the steps undertaken to turn your idea into action.  

During my team’s project placement, we worked closely with the founders of Groundwaves to tackle the future costumer base for their innovative product. The support we received from them and their open–mindedness to our ideas was truly encouraging.   

 

Would you recommend this programme to other students at the University of Bristol? 

I would definitely recommend the IKEEP programme to other students and I would encourage them to apply for the project placement as well as the intrapreneurial training because together they are a very effective and interactive learning process. The IKEEP Programme would also benefit students who have an entrepreneurial mindset but feel like they would want to work within an established company first in order to learn how to navigate becoming an entrepreneur within a company (an intrapreneur) to generate value and allow their ideas to be seen.   

 

Want to get involved?

Release your inner Intrapreneur and set your CV apart from the crowd! Register your interest with us today!

More information about the IKEEP Programme can be found on the Careers Service website.

Any queries, just drop us an email:uob-ikeep@bristol.ac.uk

 

 

 

Case Study: Senmag Robotics’s experience with IKEEP

Posted on by uobcareers

What is IKEEP? 

The IKEEP Programme consists of high-quality knowledge exchange opportunities, providing fresh perspectives and skills to enable regional businesses to grow while honing the talent of future graduates. 

Students involved will have participated in online training in a range of business areas such as managing innovation, business model development and project management. Student teams are ready to be placed within a company to develop business model solutions, improve market awareness and more! 

Senmag Robotics’s Experience with IKEEP 

Senmag Robotics took part in the IKEEP Programme this year. The student team, matched to this business, carried out market research to evaluate the most suitable markets and potential customers/early adopters for their product. They were also involved in the company’s website design, implementing improvements using HTML and CSS. 

Spyros Lavetiz, the CEO and Co-founder of Senmag Robotics

Senmag Robotics is a Bristol-based start-up and New Enterprise Competition finalist producing affordable haptic feedback technology, which allows a user to physically interact with computer simulations, making environments and objects in AR/VR feel solid. 

Spyros Lavetiz is the CEO and Co-founder of Senmag Robotics and has recently completed his final year of a master’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Bristol. 

We spoke to Spyros to find out more about his experience with IKEEP…  

 

Why did you apply to the IKEEP Programme?  

Considering we are an early start up, Senmag Robotics did not have access to funding to employ interns or staff. The IKEEP Programme provided the funding required to make this project happen. As a business, we believe this programme provided essential help, and the team of students were very eager to work hard and produce top results. 

What did the student team learn during this project placement? 

The students learnt how an early start-up functions, how to carry out market research and how to cooperate in a small team of engineers to get the best possible outcome.  

How did the project benefit your business?  

The market research has provided useful insights into the markets and the companies that Senmag Robotics should target. More importantly, the website work was excellent. It was a big improvement from the previous version.  

 

Want to get involved?  

Students, if you are interested in becoming business advisors, placed within regional businesses, Sign up for our free Intrapreneurial training and start your journey with IKEEP! 

Participating businesses, Register your interest with us now, and provide your project brief with clear deliverables. 

Feel free to contact the University of Bristol IKEEP team with any questions you might have: uob-ikeep@bristol.ac.uk 

 

CPSA Case Study: Sourcing your own SME Internship

Posted on by uobcareers

As a final year BSc Psychology student, I wanted to use this year to develop my skills and experience so that I would be in a strong position to apply for graduate jobs. After taking a course on drugs and addiction as part of my degree, I realized that I felt passionate about this subject.

Paula Mesia Guevara, Career Peer Support Assistant and Final Year BSc Psychology student

I decided that I wanted to look for an internship in a related role, to help me to decide if I would enjoy working in this field. However, I was not finding many advertised opportunities for the kinds of internships I was interested in.

Through the Careers Service website I learned that students could source their own internships through the university’s SME internship scheme. (more…)

Become an INTRApreneur with IKEEP

Posted on by uobcareers

Would you like to develop your Intrapreneurial skills and gain invaluable experience working with entrepreneurs?

The IKEEP programme includes free online training in a range of business areas such as managing innovation, business model canvas and leadership strategies.

After you’ve completed the training, you can apply for a short project placement (a commitment of 70 hours per student, spread flexibly over 4 weeks). You will work remotely for a regional business as part of an interdisciplinary team of 3 students. Upon completion of a project placement, you will receive a stipend of £450.

Mansour Alshamsi, Year 1, BSc Marketing

We spoke to Mansour, a student who participated in our IKEEP training and industry placement to find out how his experience was in the IKEEP programme. 

Could you sum up your IKEEP experience?  

The IKEEP program was a very enriching and eye-opening experience. It provided me with the valuable knowledge required to enhance my intrepreneurial skills in the workplace.  

What did you learn from the IKEEP training and industry placement?  

The training exposed me to new business ideas, covering various aspects of intrapreneurship. It also taught me how to implement different business models appropriately. I learned that listening to other people is key to effective communication and that every business problem has a solution.

During my placement, I was able to learn the true meaning and significance of teamwork. I learned how listening can help turn differences into strengths in order to keep going forward with our tasks. I was able to develop my research, communication and marketing skills and have a taste of how businesses and organisations operate.  

What attracted you to the IKEEP programme?   

As a Bristol PLUS Award holder, I received an email invitation to join the pilot program. Due to my interest in entrepreneurship and start-ups, I believed that this would be an invaluable opportunity to undertake a short-term placement within a local start-up and learn more about how start-ups operate.  

How does the IKEEP experience contribute towards your career planning?  

IKEEP has connected me to accomplished entrepreneurs and exposed me to the resources which will pave the way for me to launch my own business in the future.   

Would you recommend this programme to other students?   

I would definitely recommend IKEEP to any student who is curious about start-ups or seeking to learn more about them!  It also counts towards the Bristol PLUS Award.

 

Visit our Enterprise pages, to find out more about the IKEEP Programme.  

Register your interest now for one of the upcoming online intrapreneurial training sessions.  (It’s free!)

 

Will volunteering really make me stand out to employers?

Posted on by uobcareers

Student Volunteering Week is a national event, with Higher and Further Education Institutions across the country using the week to celebrate existing student volunteers and to encourage more students to start volunteering. Your Careers Service is using the week (8-14 February 2021) to celebrate your achievements in volunteering over the past year. However, we are also keen to remind you of the employability benefits to be gained!

Will volunteering really make me stand out to employers?

Absolutely! But don’t take our word for it – in this blog some of our Bristol PLUS Award endorsing employers explain exactly how they perceive volunteer work from their applicants, and just why volunteering is so beneficial for both you and the organisation you go on to work for.

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Where can BAME students find specialised careers development opportunities?

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We know that Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students face specific and real barriers to career development. In light of the worldwide and local Black Lives Matter movement, we want to affirm our ongoing commitment to supporting our BAME students.   (more…)

Green Careers Week 2019

Posted on by peter.evans

It’s mid-February, and you may have noticed that the first daffodils are with us. You may not be aware however that alongside these early green shoots each year also comes our Careers Service Green Careers Week, from 18 to 24 February 2019.

This series of events is designed to help you find out about opportunities in “green” careers such as conservation and sustainability, get advice, and network with a number of different employers.
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How are PLUS students engaging with the Bristol Futures open online courses?

Posted on by uobcareers

Bristol Futures open online courses are now an essential element of the Bristol PLUS Award. With their broad range of topics and interactive learning style, it’s hardly surprising that they are receiving great reviews – but who is doing what, and which might you do?

(more…)