Hull University Business School students are getting Bonus work experience opportunities thanks to a partnership with a leading local company.
As part of the project, the Bonus Group – one of the largest independent electrical businesses in the Yorkshire area – delivered a guest lecture within the Business School’s Welcome Week programme. Students were invited to take on the Bonus Time challenge and complete business-based tasks for the company over several competitive knock-out heats.
The final selected group of students presented their business challenge ideas to the Bonus Group’s CEO at a special event in the Bonus Arena, winning the chance to complete a two-week work experience placement. Students had the chance to choose where they wanted to complete their placement from a range of departments across the group including logistics, marketing and finance.
The partnership is just one example of the School’s unique Authentic Business Learning (ABL) approach which gives students the opportunity to learn the art of business through practical experiences.
Shaun Boanas, CEO, The Bonus Group, said: “Being a prominent and well-established Hull company, we find it important to reinvest back into the local area – especially education.
“Witnessing firsthand the work that the students put into the Bonus Time task made it clear that they had a real passion and enthusiasm not only for the challenge, but also to learn and improve. Ultimately these people are the future and it was very refreshing and exciting to see.
“We now have the pleasure of hosting the winning students in our head office for work experience, learning all about a department of their choice.”
Hull University Business School undergraduate Molly Brook was the overall winner of the Bonus Time challenge.
Molly said: “I'm really grateful to be given the opportunity to work with a company of this size. The whole project has made me more confident in my own abilities as some of the tasks were things that I never thought I'd be able to do, especially as a first-year student. I would encourage everyone in the Business School to participate in similar projects.”
The partnership was initiated by Alec Ferriby, a Hull University Business School graduate who benefitted so much from the School’s ABL approach during his studies he was keen to create similar opportunities when he started his career. Alec secured his role at the Bonus Group before graduating last year, quickly being promoted to Group Digital Transformation Manager.
Alec said: “As a proud graduate of Hull University Business School, it is a privilege to be working alongside the lecturers to provide students with the real-world experience they need to succeed once they graduate – just as the Business School staff mentored me.
“It was fantastic to be back at the University working on the Bonus Time task, all the students who took part did a brilliant job and I thank all of them for the work they put in.
“I’d like to thank the University for bringing this project to realisation and look forward to building a lasting relationship between The Bonus Group and the University of Hull.”