What you need to know

A member of our team will arrange to visit you to discuss your requirements to ensure that your project will meet both the needs of our students and your needs and expectations as the host organisation. The level of your time commitment will depend on the type of project you put forward but will be defined during the initial consultation process.

Your support

Your support in terms of time will vary depending upon the type of project you put forward, but this will be clearly defined during the initial stages of the consultation process.

You may also want to consider the following:

  • Will the student require some desk space, and if so, are you able to offer this? It is not an expectation but can be advantageous in helping the student gain an understanding of the organisation’s culture.
  • Is there someone who can act as a 'line manager' for the student during the project? You will be required to nominate a person within the organisation to be the point of contact for the student.
  • Does the project require the student to carry out surveys, focus groups, talk to stakeholders, or collect other information? Are you able to facilitate this?
  • If you have suggested more than one project, do you have the resources to manage both projects simultaneously? If you are small business, we recommend that you consider hosting only a single project.

Cost

Some organisations choose to pay students for undertaking projects, however, this is not an expectation. We do expect that an agreed travel and incurred costs will be reimbursed.

Our commitment

Based on your completed Project Specification submission we will select the most appropriate student for your project.

Each student who applies to undertake a project with an organisation will have completed a development programme designed to better prepare them for working with you and within an organisational environment. The students will then complete an application process including a competency-based interview.

You will have an opportunity to meet the selected student (s) by attending an open evening in March.

Your organisation’s confidentiality will be respected throughout the process; any information passed on to students will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with any third parties.

We shortlist project submissions around November to December for the following year, but we will discuss ideas for future projects at any time. Please contact Business Development Manager Rhoda Watson on rhoda.watson@sheffield.ac.uk or +44 (0) 114 222 3367.

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