Better Bankside ebrief, April 2005

An undergraduate in your business for 8 weeks? Better Bankside teams up with STEP and with Southwark's Tourism Employment Fair

Would you like an undergraduate to run a project for you this summer? The Shell Technology in Enterprise Programme (STEP) puts undergraduates with relevant skills into businesses for 8 weeks, beginning in July. Better Bankside's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) group might be willing to pick up some of the cost...

STEP is a well-established programme which brokers the placement of undergraduates into SMEs for an 8-week period running from the beginning of July each year. The students are paid a bursary of £160pw and undertake a specific project - typically in research, analysis of systems and procedures, marketing and promotion, e-commerce or product/service innovation.

Working with London South Bank University (LSBU), Better Bankside is seeking to place up to five undergraduates - either living or studying locally - into its member businesses. One place is already being taken up by Hogg Robinson. Typically a STEP placement would cost an employer £2,000 - principally to pay the bursary. However LSBU will meet £600 of this - thanks to a grant from Business Link - as well as administering the scheme and providing training to the students. Better Bankside will consider offering further funding - particularly to voluntary organisations - and will also host an event/media opportunity for the students and their employers in the course of the placements.

On their completion, STEP undergraduates' projects are assessed by a local panel of judges. A winning project may then proceed to regional and national rounds.

A large number of students are interested in placements in Leisure & Hospitality-related businesses. LSBU has told Better Bankside that engineering undergraduates are also represented, including some sponsored by the MoD who would only 'cost' about £100pw. Given that both the Leisure & Hospitality and Construction & Building Services are the two largest sectors in the BID constituency (19% and 11% of the businesses respectively), Better Bankside is optimistic about the 'match'.

In a further, related initiative, LB Southwark's Tourism Unit is hosting Southwark's first tourism employment fair on 12th May 05 on board HMS Belfast.

The aim of the fair is to bring together local students, colleges and employers. It is also to help local tourism students gain work experience in the tourism industry and put them in touch with vast array of tourism providers in Southwark. This fair is part of Southwark Council's tourism unit's drive to improve quality and support for the employment in the industry.

Local tourism students from London South Bank University, Southwark College, University of the Arts and schools studying tourism from Southwark and surrounding boroughs are invited to the fair, where they will have the chance to listen to a series of presentations given by key industry professionals.

There will also be a chance for students to practice their interview skills. As a result, 20 students will gain a 2 week work placement with local companies. Better Bankside's CSR group has agreed to fund the £100 a week bursary for the students going into the 8 companies in the Business Improvement District area - Mercure Hotel, Golden Hinde, Hogg Robinson, Real Greek, Vinopolis, Southwark Cathedral, Clink Museum and Southwark Playhouse.

Once the students have been placed they will receive 2 days of training on health and safety and welcome host, as well as a 1 day training on site with their employer. There will be an option for the employer to take on the student as an employee over the summer at their expense.

Useful Links

www.step.org.uk


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