A Premier League start for WSM students

The University of Chester, with campuses on either side of the Mersey at Chester and also Warrington, has a unique reputation for work-based learning initiatives which prepare students for work, placing great emphasis on connecting business theory to business practice.

 

An excellent example of this was a recent visit to Everton Football Club where some 50 Undergraduate students had first-hand commercial experience of business theory being applied in a dynamic, exciting environment.
 

Under the supervision of Senior Lecturers Andrea Harper, Jim Stockton and Terry Smith, the trip was part of the Warrington Campus Induction programme for Level 4 Business Management undergraduates and gave 50 students their first exposure to the University’s ‘transfer of knowledge’ ethos.

This is part of a programme of University/Industry co-operation which has featured similar trips to Wigan Athletic Football Club and Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club where evidence of a modern organisation in action is incorporated into student academic assessment.

 

The Goodison Park trip featured a comprehensive stadium tour, a 30-minute DVD viewing of “The Everton Experience” and a detailed presentation on the club’s outstanding community achievements, history and successes on and off the field given by Stephanie Kinsella, HRM Manager for Everton.





Students were treated to a unique 'speed dating-style' business induction session where each business function in the club was presented and discussed. Representatives from the club’s IT, Media, Fundraising, “Everton in the Community”, Everton Academy and Veteran’s teams gave a comprehensive talk on the roles and functions of their respective departments and students from a wide range of backgrounds were afforded time to question staff.

Michael Salla, Manager in charge of Everton’s excellent Health and Well Being initiatives said that “Hopefully it will help University of Chester students in giving them a good insight into our diverse area of work and open their eyes to different career paths out there”.

Andrea Harper, who organised the trip, claimed that “It was a great opportunity for our Business undergraduates to gain invaluable commercial exposure in a very dynamic and exciting context. The aim was to link business theory to business practice and this was hopefully the first of many co-operative projects such as placements and voluntary work as well as academic work such as case studies, research projects and dissertations”.

A great day and an excellent start to any Business undergraduate's university experience.  Thank you to everyone at Everton Football Club.
 

To find out more about our Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses, visit our website http://www.chester.ac.uk/warrington-school-of-management