STUDENT CONSULTANCY
PROGRAMME
HANDBOOK
WEEK 1 (W/C 21 OCTOBER)
PROGRAMME TIMETABLE 2024
09:30 – 12:30:
Welcome Session Woodlands 2&3, Student Centre
09:00 onwards: Meet & Greet slots Confirmed by email
12:00: Deadline for team lead to be decided and Career Lab team notified
12:00 – 13:00: Student Consultancy drop-in (optional) Landscape 6, first floor Student Centre 14:00 onwards: Meet & Greet slots Confirmed by email
14:00 – 15:00:
Team Lead training only for team leads Zoom link / ID: 928 1605 3200
Midway Meetup in week 2
WEEK 2 (W/C 28 OCTOBER)
WEEK 3 (W/C 4 NOVEMBER)
WEEK 4 (W/C 11 NOVEMBER)
09:00 – 17:00
Practice Presentation slots available Student Centre or online
10:00 – 11:00:
Student Consultancy drop-in (optional) Landscape 6, first floor Student Centre
11:30 – 12:30:
How to deliver a business-style presentation to a client Zoom link / ID: 935 5779 1891
15:00 – 16:00: Student Consultancy drop-in (optional) Landscape 6, first floor Student Centre
17:00: Deadline for team lead to book Practice Presentation slot with Career Lab team
Practice Presentations in week 3/4
09:00 – 17:00
Practice Presentation slots available Student Centre or online
16:00 – 17:00: Student Consultancy drop-in (optional) Landscape 6, first floor Student Centre
Practice and Final Presentations in week 4
10:00 – 11:00: How to put your consultancy experience on your CV and next steps Zoom link / ID: 956 8734 3281
WELCOME TO THE CAREER LAB
STUDENT CONSULTANCY PROGRAMME
The structure of the programme
The Student Consultancy Programme has been designed to offer third and final year undergraduate students, and postgraduate students, the opportunity to gain work experience tackling a live business challenge set by an external organisation. You will learn how to develop a project, work in a team and deliver your findings to a client in a supportive setting.
For the Winter 2024 programme, there are 125 student consultants who have been split into 25 mixed discipline teams. You will have been allocated your student team and project brief. Please note that we did our best to accommodate a project match based on your preferences, but also considering the available project briefs and mixed degree backgrounds.
Each student consultant will contribute approximately 20 hours in total across the 4week period (21 October – 15 November). This could mean approximately 5 hours a week, but in the nature of group work, part of the challenge will be to allocate tasks and work flexibly with each other, whilst considering each other's additional commitments and locations.
During the programme, you will attend:
Session title
1. The Student Consultancy Welcome Session
Joining instructions
Monday 21 October, 09:30 – 12:30, Woodlands 2&3 in the Student Centre
2. Your Meet and Greet with your project client on day 1 or 2 (21 or 22 October)online Arranged with the Career Lab team by email
3. Team Leads training – online Only team leads need to attend.
Tuesday 22 October, 14:00 – 15:00, Zoom link / ID: 928 1605 3200
4. Midway meetup in week 2 Arranged between the student team and client
5. How to deliver a business-style presentation to a client - online
Tuesday 29 October, 11:30 – 12:30, Zoom link / ID: 935 5779 1891
6. Practice Presentations in week 3/4 Arranged between the student team and Career Lab team. There is availability 7 – 11 November (not including the weekend).
7. How to put your consultancy experience on your CV and next steps online
Thursday 14 November, 10:00 – 11:00, Zoom link / ID: 956 8734 3281
8. Final Presentations in week 4 Arranged between the student team and client
To benefit most from the programme, you are encouraged to attend all sessions, which are exclusive to Student Consultants.
Where possible, presentations and training materials will be circulated.
Information for international students with a student visa
If you have a student visa to study at Sussex, you must make sure that you deduct the equivalent of 20 hours from your working allocation. An example of how to work this out is below:
PART-TIME CONSULTANCY PROGRAMME (4-week)
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
Deduct 5 hours Deduct 5 hours
5 hours
5 hours
For more information, visit Working while studying and contact the International Student Advisors for further guidance.
“The Student Consultancy Programme was an invaluable experience. Gaining experience in a field I am interested in pursuing was valuable already, but learning to work with a group of people I had not met before has improved my communication and teamworking skills.
On the month-long project, I worked with a team of four other students for Liberty Glasses. Our challenge was to evaluate the feasibility of establishing kiosks in different malls, where they would be able to sell their glasses.
Understanding where my own knowledge of Economics can fit into a project, and coordinating with my team where best their knowledge can be used for different sections of our proposal has improved my understanding of how to collaborate effectively. These soft skills will be used for the rest of my career.”
- Cristopher, Economics BSc and Student Consultant
BEFORE YOUR FIRST DAY
To prepare for your Student Consultancy Project, please carefully read the following:
Review the project brief
Spend time researching the organisation and/or sector to put the project brief into context before starting the programme. Do not be concerned if there are words or concepts you do not initially understand; your team members will likely feel the same and together you will meet your project client at your Meet and Greet to ask preliminary questions. It may seem daunting to work in a new field, but all briefs have been created with that in mind. This is a chance for you to develop your research and analysis skills in a new area.
Bursary payments – check your bank details
All student participants are entitled to a bursary payment to help contribute towards your living expenses. The value of the bursary will match the UK Living Wage), which is to be announced at the end of October 2024.
Your bursary will be processed during the final week of the programme. Please note that it takes roughly 5 working days for your payment to appear in your bank account. You should expect payment by Sunday 24 November at the latest.
Students must ensure that Sussex Direct contains up-to-date bank details before the start of the programme to ensure correct processing of your bursary:
1. Log intoSussex Direct
2. Go to personal
3. Go to financial
4. Go to ‘your bank details’
5. Click add
6. Type in your bank details
7. Click save
If you encounter difficulties updating your details on Sussex Direct, please immediately contact the finance desk (studentaccounts@sussex.ac.uk – for bank detail changes) or SSRO (ssro@sussex.ac.uk – for home address changes).
Please note that failure to complete the consultancy programme may affect your bursary payment.
Update your Zoom account
During the programme, your Meet and Greet and online sessions will be hosted on Zoom. Pleaseupdate your Zoom to the latest version.
ON YOUR FIRST DAY
Student Consultancy Welcome Session
On your first day as a student consultant, you will be introduced to the programme, attend essential training, and meet your fellow student consultants and project client. Please ensure that you arrive promptly for the Welcome Session.
Monday 21 October 09:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Woodlands 2 and 3 in the Student Centre
Refreshments: Hot drinks will be provided from 09:30, please bring a reusable cup. You can access the water tap in the student kitchen in the Student Centre and bring your own refreshments.
Environment description: students will sign in and sit in their allocated teams (there are 25 teams of 5 students). You will be told your team number and introduced to your fellow student consultants by email before the programme starts. Each table will be labelled with your team number, and support from staff is available throughout the session (please speak to anyone with a lanyard). There will be a mix of presentations and team activities.
Capgemini: We are collaborating with Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology services and digital transformation, who will share their consulting expertise exclusively with student consultants.
To get the most out of the programme, it is important that you attend this in-person session in full.
If you are unable to attend due to unavoidable commitments, scheduled teaching or adjustments, please email careerlab@sussex.ac.uk by Wednesday 16 October.
Image of the welcome session
Monday 21 October 09:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Woodlands 2 and 3 in the Student Centre
Time
09.30 –09.45 Arrival -
09.45 –10.15 Welcome and programme information Emily Huns, Head of Careers and Entrepreneurship & Jasmin Tse, Programmes Officer
10.1510.25
Hear from a previous Student Consultant
Miroslaw Holisz, BSc Marketing and Management 2024 graduate
10.25 –11.05 Team challenges Jasmin Tse, Programmes Officer
Make your way to Woodlands 2&3 in the Student Centre, sign in, help yourself to a hot drink if you would like one, and find your team table.
This talk will introduce you to the structure of programme and key information. You will also have the chance to ask questions.
Hear from a previous Student Consultant about their experiences on the programme and their top tips.
This interactive section will give you the chance to get to know the student consultants in your team.
11.05 –11.20 Break
11.20 –12.15 Team dilemmas and kickstarting a consulting project
12.1512.30 Getting into consultancy
Emma Konopka, Employability Officer & Jessica Eustace, Careers and Enterprise Consultant & Sandra Kolerzynska, SAP Functional Consultant at CapGemini
Sandra Kolerzynska, SAP Functional Consultant at CapGemini
This seminar will introduce you to how to effectively meet a client's brief, the importance of research and teamwork in a consultancy project and tips on how to organise your time.
This final section will give you a unique insight into consultancy and how to get into consulting as a graduate.
12.30 End
14.00 onwards Meet & Greets
Project clients & student teams
14.00 onwards Agree on a team lead
Student teams
This 30-minute session is your chance to meet your project client, introduce yourselves, and gain further insight into the project brief. Use this opportunity to ask questions.
Student teams will need to decide on a team lead and email careerlab@sussex.ac.uk by Tuesday 22 October, 12noon.
Recommended
DURING YOUR PROJECT
project schedule
Week 1 (w/c 21 October)
Attend the Welcome Session, Monday 21 October, 09:30 – 12:30 in Woodlands 2&3 in the Student Centre.
Attend your Meet and Greet with your project client and student team (on 21 or 22 October).
Confirm the date/time of your midway meetup and final presentation with the project client.
Select a team lead; the lead must notify the Career Lab team by emailing: careerlab@sussex.ac.uk by Tuesday 22 October, 12noon. The lead is responsible for arranging all meetings with the project client and the team. They will also attend team lead training on Tuesday 22 October, 14:00 – 15:00, Zoom link / ID: 928 1605 3200.
Agree on your team’s way of working (when will you update each other, will you meet on campus or online, how often?).
Gain an understanding of the key aims/objectives of your project.
Discuss who in your team will focus on which objective(s) and start your research.
Create a project timeline with your team.
Week 2 (w/c 28 October)
Meet with your team to discuss progress and follow-up actions.
Attend ‘How to deliver a business-style presentation to a client', Tuesday 29 October, 11:30 – 12:30, Zoom link / ID: 935 5779 1891
Prepare a progress update and start listing the questions you want to ask the project client when you meet them again at the midway meetup - it is okay to ask them how they would approach a problem if you’re stuck.
Attend your midway meetup with the client. We recommend this takes place in week 2.
The team lead will book your practice presentation slot by emailing careerlab@sussex.ac.uk by 17:00 on Thursday 31 October.
Week 3 (w/c 4 November)
Begin collating your work and discuss as a team how you wish to present your findings as a presentation.
Attend your practice presentation.
Make final amendments and continue to practise your presentation, considering the feedback received from the Careers team.
Confirm the date, time and format of the final presentation with your client.
Week 4 (w/c 11 November)
Attend a practice presentation if not already in week 3.
Attend ‘How to put your consultancy experience on your CV and next steps - online’, Thursday 14 November, 10:00 – 11:00, Zoom link / ID: 956 8734 3281
Deliver your final presentation to your project client.
Your bursary will be processed by the end of this final week. Please note that it takes roughly 5 working days for your payment to be processed by the Finance Department. You should expect payment by Sunday 24 November at the latest.
The Meet & Greet
The online Meet & Greet is a 30-minute session, and a chance for your project client to introduce themselves, their work, and the project brief. The Career Lab team does not attend this session. We suggest asking preliminary questions to support the start of your project, for example:
• What is important to know about your industry and organisation?
• What are the key objectives/aims of the project?
• What recommendations would you like our team to provide? (if applicable)
• Can you recommend any websites or resources for us to begin our research?
• How and how often would you like our team to be in contact with you? Shall we communicate on email, Microsoft Teams etc.?
• What date/time are you available for both our midway meetup and final presentation?
• Will there be an opportunity to meet you in person? Some local project clients may offer you the chance to meet them at their workplace, whether that be for the midway meetup and/or final presentation, but this is not expected of the client.
• When shall we schedule our midway meetup?
The answers to these questions will help you to determine how to structure your time effectively during the project.
Some Meet and Greets may take place in-person, and the affected student teams will be contacted.
Points of contact:
Identify your key points of contact including the contact details of your: project client, student team members and the Career Lab team.
Team lead
Each student team will need to decide and agree on a team lead. The lead will:
• Attend team lead training on Tuesday 22 October, 14:00 – 15:00, Zoom link / ID: 928 1605 3200
• Oversee the project and lead on teamworking
• Be the primary contact for the Career Lab team and project client to check in with
• Organise group meetings with the team and client
• Book the practice presentation session with the Career Lab team
Being the lead is an excellent way to develop leadership, team management and communication skills. At the end of the programme, you will have a strong example of leadership to add to your CV. However, all student consultants will have the opportunity to contribute to the project, and develop communication, time management, and presentation skills, even if not selected as team lead. And you will all be advised, during our session in week 4, how you can add these skills to your CV.
The easiest and fairest way to decide on a team lead is when you are all available; perhaps this can be a quick discussion before or after the Meet and Greet or at the Welcome Session.
Once the team has decided on the lead, the lead must notify the Career Lab team by emailing: careerlab@sussex.ac.uk by Tuesday 22 October, 12 noon.
“The main challenge was diving into the unknown field of recruiting. The task was a bit overwhelming at first, but thanks to the helpful advice from the client, we narrowed down our research and came up with a streamlined solution for their problem”
- Student Consultant
Note on conducting research
Due to time restraints, please do not conduct primary research or surveys as part of the project. Your client is aware of these restrictions. Using your critical-thinking and research skills, you should review existing literature, research, and data to make recommendations. Please contact careerlab@sussex.ac.uk if your project client asks for primary research.
The midway meetup
In week 2, all team members and your project client will attend a midway meetup, which you will have scheduled together in week 1. This is an opportunity for the team to update the client on your research progress and to ask any questions.
Your update may spark an interest with your client, so they may ask you to research an area in more detail. Remember to consider how much time is remaining in the programme; in week 3 and 4, you will focus on collating your research and preparing and practising your presentation. If you feel that it is not reasonable to conduct all the requested additional research, you can politely discuss what is more important to the client, and therefore withdrawn one topic in favour of a more significant area.
Colas is a French civil engineering company which specialises in road and rail infrastructure, with an interest in reducing their carbon footprint and promoting sustainable futures on their projects through community-focused initiatives.
My team was given a fairly vague brief with the freedom to explore existing initiatives and develop some of our own. We focused on rewilding a green space near to the site offices of the development, using local resources and information to advise on how to do this, and we compiled a catalogue of existing volunteer-led sustainability projects in Essex.
I really enjoyed leading my team to conduct this research as it was a brilliant opportunity to put the theoretical and fieldbased skills that I have gained from my degree to use in an industry setting. I learned how I can contribute to sustainable progress on a wider scale and have found that interviewers for future job and internship applications are always keen to hear about the experience.
- Grace, Zoology BSc and Student Consultant
Practice presentations
During week 3 or 4, you will attend one 30-minute Practice Presentation session, either online or in-person in the Student Centre. The aim of this session is to give student teams the opportunity to practise your presentation before attending the final presentation with your project client. A few friendly and supportive staff members from the Careers and Entrepreneurship team, including Careers Consultants, will attend your session to act as an audience and provide constructive feedback.
You can decide if you would like to practise your presentation online or in-person; we recommend using the same format as your final presentation, so you can familiarise yourself with your chosen format and environment, such as practising the technicalities of presenting online, and assessing how to present clearly and with impact.
Your team will request a 30-minute slot between 09:00 – 17:00 on Thursday 7 November, Friday 8 November or Monday 11 November.
• If the practice is online, the team lead will be asked to schedule the meeting (if using Zoom, please log in with your Sussex zoom account).
• If the practice is in-person, the Student Centre room location will be shared upon confirmation.
The team lead must book your practice presentation slot by emailing careerlab@sussex.ac.uk by 17:00 on Thursday 31 October. Please state if it will be on online or in-person the Student Centre. If it is online, have your meeting link ready.
Workspaces
Student teams may decide to work together on campus. There are plenty of workspaces on campus where you can do group work without making a booking, including:
• The Student Centre atrium
• The library
• The Meeting House
• Cafes
• Various common rooms and social spaces
Have a look at Find a place to study on campus for more information.
The Co-Creation Space
Student consultants also have permission to use the Co-Creation Space on floor 1 in the Student Centre. This space is only available to students from 09:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday, from 21 October to 15 November. Please be aware that this space follows a first come first served policy and may reach capacity, so workspace cannot be guaranteed.
To use the space, you must collect an access card from the Student Centre welcome desk each time. Whether you will be working as a team, or individually, please all go to the welcome desk and confirm your full name with your student card. The access card must be returned to the desk when you leave.
Only student consultants have permission to use the Co-Creation Space, for the purposes of conducting project or group work for the Student Consultancy Programme. Students should not invite other students into the space, nor use the space for any other work or activities.
By using the Co-Creation Space, you are agreeing to the Co-Creation Space Code of Conduct.
If you are having difficulties finding space for group work, please email careerlab@sussex.ac.uk.
“During the programme I worked with four other students for Bird & Blend Tea Co to present research findings to a company representative. Our project was specifically aimed at interventions to support business growth whilst reducing carbon emissions to net zero.
I found it fairly challenging to explore and present concepts outside of my degree due to the jargon and mechanisms involved in the fields of business and sustainability, but it was highly rewarding to deliver our final presentation knowing I had learned a lot in just four weeks.”
- Jade, Psychology BSc and Student Consultant
AT THE END OF THE PROJECT
All students are encouraged to attend 'How to put your consultancy experience on your CV and next steps - online ' on Thursday 14 November, 10:00 – 11:00, Zoom link / ID: 956 8734 3281.
Saying thanks
Make sure that you thank your project client for the opportunity to work with them on the project. You may also want to use this opportunity to ask if they mind connecting with you on LinkedIn, or other professional networks.
Feedback
The Career Lab team values your feedback on taking part in the programme to help improve the experience for students in the future. We will be in contact to ask you to complete a short feedback form.
We would also encourage you to request feedback from your project client, for example, with an email, reference letter, or LinkedIn recommendation. Your project client is required to provide feedback as part of their role.
Further employment and networking
Once you have completed your project, now is your chance to network with your fellow student consultants and potentially the project client’s organisation. With the explicit consent of the client, you may seek their career guidance:
• Ask about their career path and where they have worked previously.
• If you enjoyed the project work and are interested in the client’s area of business, let them know that!
• Are there opportunities for employment with this employer? If so, where can you find their vacancies?
• Job-seeking – ask for recommendations of where and how to look for work in the sector.
• Ask their advice about what you can do to improve your chances of getting employment in the sector.
• Seek a recommendation on LinkedIn.
Remember that all Sussex students and graduates (up to three years after graduation) can continue to access Careers and Entrepreneurship support, including one-to-one careers consultant appointments, access to the CareerHub vacancies board, and attendance at online and in-person events.
WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU
If there is a problem during your project
If you feel things aren’t working out as well you had hoped during the project, the Career Lab team is here to support you. This could include discussing issues around your responsibilities, teamworking, struggling with your workload, visiting your client, or feeling unconfident when presenting. Please get in touch with the Career Lab team in the first instance: careerlab@sussex.ac.uk.
Adjustments
If you require or believe you may need adjustments to facilitate your participation in the programme, we are here to assist you. Please contact Jasmin Tse, Programmes Officer: J.Tse@sussex.ac.uk for further advice. We partner with disability and neurodivergence experts, EmployAbility, for independent support and guidance. If you would like to contact them for a confidential discussion, please register with them and then email info@employ-ability.org.uk.
Student Consultancy drop-ins
You can also chat with us at our optional Student Consultancy drop-ins, all located in Landscape 6, first floor in the Student Centre, during the following times:
• Wednesday 23 October, 12:00 – 13:00
• Thursday 31 October, 15:00 – 16:00
• Thursday 7 November, 16:00 – 17:00
• Monday 11 November, 10:00 – 11:00
You do not need to book and can see us individually, or as a team, to ask any questions or share your progress.
If you would like an online meeting, or a confidential conversation, please email careerlab@sussex.ac.uk.
student.sussex.ac.uk/careers