Member Article

University makes links with Aycliffe Business Park

The University of Sunderland has started to build strong links with one of the region’s biggest business parks to help companies prosper.

The Wearside Uni has already placed intern students into firms on Aycliffe Business Park - the second largest industrial estate in the region - after outlining plans to help Aycliffe firms grow their business with some exciting opportunities.

And the University of Sunderland’s Business Development Manager, Mark Donnelly, is working with the Aycliffe Business Park Community (ABPC) and helping it to administer new sub-groups which have been tasked to look at specific areas of regeneration.

Mark now says the university - which is heading up the University Technical College (UTC) plans for the park along with Hitachi and Gestamp Tallent - is keen to work with Aycliffe firms of all shapes and sizes.

“We want to start the conversation with businesses, to build links and hopefully start working together, which helps them to further their business and also give something back to the university,” said Mark.

“That could be through student projects, or through graduate employment opportunities.

“We want businesses to just find out more about us and we can start that with a very informal conversation.

“But practical things we may be able to help with could be linking them with current students, who can provide an extra pair of hands to do things they might not have the capacity to do - such as a marketing or IT project.

“Firms can also consider graduates. Some companies might not know how to go about the process of employing graduates - we can help them with that process and, in many cases, we can provide wage subsidies.

“We’re looking at this as a long-term opportunity for the University to build real, sustainable links with businesses here in Newton Aycliffe, and we’re really committed to that.”

Mark says there are potential key benefits involved from injecting youth into business.

“Students are the potential workforce of the future and supporting young people and their development is hugely important for business,” he added.

“There are also genuine benefits of working with young people and bringing graduates into the workplace.

“They can bring fresh ideas, new ways of thinking and new knowledge that can be embedded into the business.

“We employ quite a number of very clever people, academics that can advise businesses in a variety of ways - researching new opportunity areas, new technology or just problem-solving, and applying research expertise to real-world business issues.

“We can also help businesses to tap into funding sources to help them take forward innovative ideas, and we have a good track record of helping firms to innovate.”

Firms interested in talking to the University of Sunderland can call Mark on 0191 515 3365 or email mark.donnelly@sunderland.ac.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .