Laura’s bridge to a new future

University of Teesside graduate Laura Kane has been named the Most Enterprising Graduate for her work on a special scheme which offers graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience.

Laura, 23, from Saltburn, graduated last year with a first class honours degree in Marketing. She joined the Bridges & Routes Scheme which allocates graduates with local companies for 15 week placements to handle a specific project related to their degree. Laura was placed with administration outsourcing firm Co-Efficient Outsourcing Solutions.

Co-Efficient provides a book-keeping, administration, payroll, human resource, diary and accountancy service to a variety of local small and medium sized enterprises. Owned and managed by Ann Stonehouse, Co-Efficient is based on the University of Teesside’s campus in the Graduate Enterprise Unit.

While on placement, Laura carried out a marketing project which included creating a new logo for the firm and designing and producing business cards, leaflets and a new website. She also managed mail drops, delivered presentations and took part in networking events.

Laura said: “The Bridges & Routes Scheme has helped me get experience and added to my CV. It gave me the chance to try lots of areas of marketing and see what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.

“I was really pleased to win the award. It was a nice surprise and I had a great time at the presentation event. I’d definitely recommend the scheme to other graduates. It’s really helped me and I think it would be good for any graduate to spend some time on it. You get the chance to put your skills into practice on a specific project so you’ve got something to show for it at the end of the placement.”

Ann Stonehouse, who also employs two University of Teesside graduates on a part-time basis, said: “Being a small firm, Laura did everything to do with marketing, not just one area of it like she would in a larger firm. As well as producing all of our new literature and the website, Laura has also created a database of over 200 contacts for me to follow up over the next year. Not bad for 15 weeks work!

“Laura also helped us gain Investors in People status and has been a really important part of the company this year. The Bridges & Routes Scheme works because the graduate gets important experience and the firm gets a skilled employee to handle a project at reduced rates. Everyone wins.”

For more information about the Bridges & Routes scheme, which is funded by the European Social Fund and is open to graduates from all Universities, contact: Margaret Beevers, Bridges & Routes Manager, at the University of Teesside's Department of Academic Enterprise on  01642 384328 or email:  m.beevers@tees.ac.uk.

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