On Wednesday 20 March, the Success Accelerator Programme brought 15 talented first-year students to London to experience the world of business by taking part in a mini-hackathon. They were put to the test, using their creativity and skills to analyse and find a solution to a business problem.

The Success Accelerator Programme, which is sponsored by the Kent Opportunity Fund, aims to inspire students at Kent to achieve a career in the City. The programme includes students from the School of Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, and Actuarial Science and Law. Currently, there are 14 alumni mentors, all professionals dedicated to improving outcomes for those students looking to achieve their own version of success by gaining employment in London. These mentors work in partnership with the University of Kent to support students with mentoring and work experience that will serve as a springboard for their future careers.

The mini-hackathon gave students a flavour of the working world and exposed them to some key concepts of Financial Technology (FinTech). Students worked in teams as “consultants” to think of a solution to a problem using FinTech and Alumni mentors acted as senior partners, there to empower them. They created a professional pitch deck and presented their concepts to industry professionals and graduate employers, who were board members; judging their work to what would be considered in the real world! The consultants delivered strong pitches and provided great answers when responding to questions from the board, who were very impressed with their proposed solutions.

This was a fantastic event, which gave our first-year students a great insight into FinTech and a career in the City. We look forward to seeing what else our mentees are involved in during the programme, later on, this year!