A groundbreaking £4 million scheme will create up to 100 jobs.
Fifty students from the University of Sussex will be hired to work in a new team at the university’s business incubator, the Sussex Innovation Centre (SInC).
Over the next three years the Catalyst Team will provide consultancy services to high-growth-potential small and medium-sized local enterprises in product design, technology, market research, administration, marketing and sales.
The Government-backed project aims to complete more than 50 pieces of consultancy work in its first three years.
The scheme will provide paid placements and real business experience for the students and lead to the creation of 100 new jobs in the city.
The team will start to recruit students this autumn and will roll into full-scale production next year with a mix of students on full and half-year placements.
The £810,000 project will be funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, as well as by fees from businesses and contributions from the university.
Linda Buckham, director at the university’s Careers and Employability Centre, said the plan will accelerate growth in the businesses involved, generating between £2.5 million and £4 million in increased revenue.
She said: “The Catalyst Team will be a flagship and premium work placement, which we foresee the most able and ambitious students competing for.
“It will be promoted to attract students with the most ambitious and entrepreneurial future career ambitions, who will see this as an outstanding opportunity to gain and apply the skills needed to run their own business.”
Mike Herd, executive director of SInC, said: “Brighton as a city has high graduate retention, but a very small number of large employers.
“The project is focused on introducing high-calibre students to high-growth-potential small and micro businesses and increasing the relevant skills of students in order to add value to the companies.
“It also gels with the university’s strategic aim of increasing the proportion of Sussex students entering graduate-level jobs.”
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