Innovative initiative introduces HR students to world of work
Tuesday 20 February 2018
STUDENTS from the University of Salford are getting a career boost thanks to a project run with the city council.
As well as having the opportunity to visit the council and meet the City Mayor with their lecturer Chris Doran, the initiative enabled the Human Resource students to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. The council identified seven key projects in their HR department and the students were asked to choose one as the topic of their final-year assignment project.
The student with the best assignment was given a full year placement to put their ideas into practice. It was Georgiana Matoianu who finally secured the internship. This was based on her presentation on a strategy to embed the council’s values within the organisation, to drive engagement and business success.
Commenting on her experience, Georgiana said: “It’s been fantastic. I’ve gained real insight into the world of HR and it’s been great to be able to base my assignment on a topic about which I’m passionate. I’m really looking forward to implementing the findings of my research when I start my placement in June and to work with the council’s HR team, which has clearly embraced the values of the organisation in developing this programme.”
Lecturer Dr Chris Doran said: “This was a great opportunity for our students. Gaining valuable real life experience is such a boost to a graduates career prospects and this is something that we are really focusing on through our industrial collaboration strategy. They really put the effort in with their final presentations and Georgiana deserves her placement. But it will be of great benefit to all the students who took part, and hopefully the city council as well.”
The initiative isn’t just benefiting the students. It’s also supporting delivery of the council’s ‘Great Eight’ key strategic priories, whilst providing the organisation with fresh thinking around key projects on the council’s HR agenda.
Commenting on the initiative’s success, Salford City Council’s Assistant Director of HR and OD Sam Betts, said: “Georgiana’s proposal was outstanding and we’re looking forward to her joining our team to implement the great ideas that were generated after her presentation at the final workshop. We’re also looking at making this an annual programme and will continue to ‘co-create’ the curriculum by broadening the scope to include other business areas.”
Find out more
Sam Wood
0161 295 5361
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