WORK experience students can offer employers more than a string of unwanted
cups of tea.
Despite a lingering reputation for being more of a hindrance than a help,
student work placements, as Steve Cooper, marketing director of the Feel
Good Drinks Company, has found, can benefit students and small businesses.
“I can honestly say that we have been really pleased with our work experience
students,” he said. “We’ve had a 100% strike rate in getting really
enthusiastic, capable people in.”
Feel Good Drinks, based in Islington, London, has taken on work experience
students for the past four years, offering candidates a one-year placement
along with the opportunity to manage their own projects.
“We do things differently from large organisations, where students are
generally given low-risk tasks,” said Cooper. “We have found that if you
give someone responsibility they will rise to the opportunity.”
Current work experience student Lindsay Cousins, aged 21, manages the
company’s sampling programme and is responsible for finding new partners in
order to grow the brand.
Cousins has also built relationships with several charities and has overseen
the production of a running suit in the shape of a five-foot-high Feel Good
bottle to be used by members of the public for charity fun runs - with Feel
Good Drinks matching their fundraising pound for pound.
“Some work experience can be just making the tea,” said Cousins. “This has
been nothing like that; I’ve had hands-on experience. I’ve never felt
overwhelmed by the responsibility. I’ve enjoyed the challenge.” Cooper
believes students are ideally suited to the dynamic atmosphere of Feel Good
Drinks, which is growing at a rate of 25% year on year.
“The characteristics we look for in our team are enthusiasm and energy. I
think students have these characteristics because they are young and keen to
learn,” he said.
He added that inexperience was not necessarily a negative thing and could work
to the advantage of a small business.
“Young people are mouldable,” said Cooper. “They have never worked for another
business, so you can really quickly explain what your brand is all about.
They also have a completely fresh set of eyes.”
Cooper is, however, meticulous in making sure the firm employs the right
candidate. Feel Good Drinks has formed a relationship with the University of
Portsmouth. Each year the company interviews a selection of candidates
entering the third, practical year of their marketing degree. Thirty
applicants are eventually whittled down to two.
“It’s an intensive process,” said Cooper. “We’re very, very careful in whom we
choose.”
The company offers selected candidates the same benefits as permanent staff -
gym membership, five extra days’ holiday to volunteer for causes that they
feel strongly about - and a salary rate set just below that of an average
graduate.
“It’s all about equality and offering students exactly what you would offer a
member of your full-time team,” said Cooper. “You’re asking them to do the
same tasks, so there should be no difference in how you treat them.”
The company’s placements have been a huge success - for Cooper, the only
negative has been seeing candidates return to their studies.
“The downside to this whole process is that you have to lose someone who is
great and delivering a lot of business to the company,” he said. “You have
to wait a year before you can offer them a permanent job.”
Progressive Resources, which organises team-building events for corporate
clients, has been taking on work experience students for 10 years.
Founder and managing director James Coakes offers marketing students at
Bournemouth University a nine-month work experience placement. Coakes also
grants two-week placements but believes that the official programme is what
produces the best results.
“Not much comes of the short-term placements, really,” he said. “It’s just an
opportunity to teach them something about business. It’s the link-up with
Bournemouth University that has been fantastic.”
Coakes puts potential candidates through a rigorous interview process. He is
convinced that not only does this enable him to select the right applicant
but that it also benefits those who are rejected.
“Students need as much experience as possible,” he said. “Being turned down
for a placement can be a valuable experience in itself.” Selected candidates
spend a few weeks working within each area of the business. Coakes is also
interested to learn from the students in order to stay up to date with the
latest marketing techniques.
“We’re very keen to see examples of their academic work,” he said. “I like to
think that we have a positive influence on our placements, but they also
have a positive influence on us.”
He believes giving students responsibility is often the most effective way to
see them shine.
“If you give a child a big coat you know they’ll eventually grow into it,” he
said. “You must find the right balance, though – don’t leave them
floundering.”
Rachel Wood-Harper, quality adviser at the National Council for Work
Experience, sees work experience placements as an investment in the future.
She said: “Offering work experience placements helps students perform a lot
better. It fills the gap between theory and knowledge, so as a business
you’re helping the economy by helping them become more employable.”
PICK YOUR CANDIDATES WITH CARE
- Be very careful about whom you take on. Set up a thorough interview process
and do not be afraid to turn candidates down.
- Consider building a relationship with a local university and offer
placements to the degree students who would best suit your business.
- Do not treat work experience students any differently to other members of
staff. If you give someone responsibility they will rise to the challenge.
- Reward work experience students as you would any other member of staff.
- Encourage them and hold regular appraisals to see how they can best use
their skills
