A record number of companies took part in the University of Kent’s annual Student Implant Scheme open day on 14 November as business school postgraduates demonstrated their employment potential.
Twenty-five employers from all over the country – including Sainsbury’s, Flambeau and Fabricsmart Ltd – were on hand at the Kent Business School (KBS) event at the University’s Canterbury campus to discuss project work opportunities with students on KBS’ MSc in Value Chain Management and MSc Business Analytics programmes.
The Student Implant Scheme offers postgraduate students as a business resource for the duration of their study from January 2013 to August 2013.
The students use their value chain and business analytics expertise to research and deliver project solutions for companies. They then write a dissertation and business report based on the project. In return, they receive invaluable workplace experience and corporate mentoring, as well as the chance to network and share their academic and work experience.
Dr Marian Garcia, KBS Scheme Co-Ordinator, said: ‘We had a record number of companies turning up for this annual event – which is a tribute to the employability of University of Kent students. From talking to employers, I know they are impressed with the calibre of students on the scheme.
‘The scheme also represents a great opportunity for our postgraduates to showcase their talents and engage with companies. The students on the scheme have a range of backgrounds and can all offer something unique to their projects and the open day allowed them to discuss their ideas with the companies directly.’
Dr Garcia added that the annual scheme had grown from the applied research ethos of KBS’ Centre for Value Chain Research.