Teesside University signs the way to business support

A Teesside University graduate is pointing a signage company in the right direction after joining as part of an innovative internship scheme.

A Teesside University graduate is pointing a signage company in the right direction after joining as part of an innovative internship scheme.

Rebecca Wood, (Becky), 25, who holds an MSc in marketing management, joined N-Sign on a Knowledge Exchange Internship (KEI) with a mission to help with marketing and expand the client base.

KEIs provide talented graduates with internships of up to twelve months in companies looking to solve a particular problem or to implement a new system or process. They are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Becky joined as Marketing and Sales Manager, a new position at the company, to build up its client base through a new marketing approach.

Teesside University’s flexible scheme brings a business together with a graduate and specialist experts who apply technical know-how, research and innovation to help achieve key business objectives.

Becky, from Middlesbrough, began the internship in January and is already feeling the benefits of the scheme.

She said: 'I found it hard to search for jobs but when I heard about the opportunity to go and work for a business for a year with support from the University, I jumped at the chance.

'There’s no substitute for hands-on experience, and I’m really enjoying the challenge of putting everything I learned on my master’s degree into practice. I have constant contact with the University and this has really improved my confidence and is helping me to learn as I go along.'

Making an instant impact Alun Pearson, Managing Director of N-Sign, added: 'We hadn’t had a sales and marketing position here, but knew we needed to increase our exposure to help grow the business.

'KEIs are a great idea for businesses looking for specific solutions, and working alongside Teesside University ensured strong candidates applied for the position. We’re delighted Becky has joined us and made an instant impact.'

David Norris, Programme Leader for MSc Marketing Management at Teesside University Business School, provides constant support to both Becky and the company as a whole to help them meet their business objective.

He said: 'N-Sign needed to boost their exposure in the market place, so I provide expertise in that field and offer direct guidance to Becky. It’s an ideal solution for small to medium enterprises looking for expertise and manpower to help achieve business goals.'

Becky added: 'Not only am I adding to my skillset, but I’m getting to experience what it’s like to work hard every day in an office environment. Getting support and knowledge from David Norris is helping my development, and I’m also learning a lot from Alun and the designer Stephen Jones.

'I would advise any graduates to apply for the KEI scheme at Teesside University; it’s been invaluable to my professional development and provided me with a kick-start to my career that I wouldn’t have otherwise had.'

Emma Detchon, Senior Business Development Manager at the University, said: 'We know from experience that this type of intensive input works for both the company and the graduate. A KEI is ideal for a company needing expert help with a short-term project, perhaps to introduce new technology or new working practices. As well as a full-time graduate on the staff, the company gets academic support to deliver its improvement programme.'

The Graduate Recruitment & Placements for SMEs project is part financed by the North East European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. Find out more

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