Oxford Student Consultancy

What is it?

Oxford Student Consultancy is a chance for you to gain hands-on experience within local organisations. Youll get training in 'consulting' skills then work in a team of 4 on a project that's important to a local organisation.

As a member of the Oxford Student Consultancy, you'll:

• develop key employability skills such as self-management, team working, business and customer awareness, problem solving, communication, entrepreneurship and enterprise
• be trained by representatives from leading management consultancy firms
  work with interesting local organizations
• have the chance to contribute to the local community
• if you stay involved, you'll have the chance to lead a project

Consultancy Training Programme

The initial training is four two-hour sessions in the first two weeks of term. This training will be run by representatives from the Careers Service, blue-chip management consultancies and Oxford academia.

Sessions will run from 3pm until 6pm at the Careers Service, with the following topics covered:

Monday 27th April - Introduction to the program and consulting; discussion of basic frameworks and protocols
Thursday 30th April - Hypothesis building; conducting interviews and analysis
Tuesday 5th May - Financial modeling and business plans
Thursday 7th May - Presentation skills, proposal letters and introduction to projects

Consulting Projects

After your training, you will approach a local business to undertake a project. Projects will typically last between 1 and 4 weeks with each project staffed by up to 4 students, including one team leader. You will work on a project part-time and it is your responsibility to ensure the project does not interfere with their academic work (this may require checking with your tutor).

At the end of the four weeks, teams will present their draft report of analysis and recommendations to the wider group to receive feedback, before presenting to the client.

In addition, a steering committee consisting of external and internal senior members will supervise the overall running of the programme and act as a review board for final student presentations. Each team is assigned a mentor from this steering committee to provide quality control and direction to projects.

Potential host organisations include:

• Isis spin-outs
• Ashmolean
• Modern Art Oxford
• New College Highschool
• Thames Valley Police
• Covered Market stores
• Theatres (e.g. Oxford Playhouse)
• Oxford University: Support of enhancement programs
• Local charities (such as Gatehouse and OxHub)
• Community and sporting groups
• Oxford Tourism

Who should apply?

The programme is open to undergraduates from any discipline, and selection will be based on your creativity in finding solutions, approach to business situations and motivation to support the local community.

You dont need to be studying economics or aspiring to a career in consulting, you could be an art historian who wants to work with a local gallery or a scientist interested in working with technology spin-out companies.

Whatever your discipline, you should want to create lasting impact on the local community.