14 focus on southampton
Partnership drives graduate career success
A partnership programme between Southampton Solent University, the Government and local SMEs is delivering ongoing benefits for graduates and businesses alike
Known as the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), the scheme identifies companies who need help and support to grow their business, and matches them with a specialist academic and a recent graduate, who works with them for the duration of the project.
Katie Hornby, the university’s knowledge exchange and business development manager, says the programme offers a win-win for all those involved and she is keen to attract more local companies to apply for KTPs.
“Our aim is to have one or two KTPs each year and we want to hear from businesses who can see opportunities on the medium-term horizon to develop into new areas, or offer new products and services, but who lack the necessary skills to be able to do so,” she said.
“The KTP focus must be very clearly on research and innovation, enabling our specialist academics to share their expertise and, at the same time, taking on a graduate who can manage the programme.”
Hornby says there are numerous benefits from the approach, continuing: “KTPs enable businesses to enter new markets, increase market share and upskill existing staff, maximise savings and efficiencies within their operation, and potentially increase their digital and web presence.
“For the academics involved, it’s a chance to enhance their links with the business community and, with the agreement of the companies
involved, to undertake research projects on the KTPs. For the graduates themselves, it’s an excellent opportunity to gain real-world work experience and utilise the knowledge they have learned during their degree.”
For the duration of the KTP, the graduate is employed and paid by the university, with funding provided jointly by the company and government body Innovate UK. Once a KTP is established, an open recruitment campaign is launched, with graduates interviewed to help best match their skills to the relevant position.
Solent has been involved in the KTP programme since 2012 and since then has helped nine different companies in sectors ranging from marine and maritime to logistics, advanced manufacturing, caring and even a social enterprise which offers business support and engagement. KTPs can also apply to areas such as science, design and computing.
One business which has benefited is Southampton- based He-Man Dual Controls, the leading UK dual controls supplier which develops mechanical products for a range of vehicles, including driving school cars and cars for track use.
The company has been keen to expand into Europe and signed up for a KTP project to enable it to develop specific electronic-based products for the European market.
As well as giving He-Man access to the university’s extensive engineering facilities, including 3D
printers and testing equipment, the business has also taken on recent graduate Josh Bowen, who achieved a first class honours degree in electronic engineering at Solent.
Paul Ferris, He-Man’s managing director, said: “Products in this market haven’t changed for a long time, so we don’t want to be the dinosaur that misses the new ideas. The projects we’re working on with Josh and the university will mean that we can install products into cars that we previously couldn’t.”
The project has enabled Bowen to use his technical skills and receive further mentoring, while also gaining important business experience.
As part of the selection process to apply for the necessary grants, businesses will work closely with the Solent team, producing a detailed work plan to demonstrate the likely opportunities and achievements.
Hornby says that typically the lead-in time for a successful application is around nine months, stressing that it is a competitive process with the emphasis very much on projects in the research and innovation arena.
“We recognise that the limited number of KTPs available means not every application will be successful,” she said. “However, Solent’s goal is always to engage with the business community and there may be other ways in which our teams can provide help and support. If you are a business with plans for the future, we are very keen to hear from you and look at how we may be able to work together for mutual benefit.”
Details:
katie.hornby@solent.ac.uk www.solent.ac.uk
Josh Bowen, centre, with some of the He-Man team and staff from Southampton Solent University
www.businessmag.co.uk
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – MARCH 2016
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