Member Article

Rix Petroleum sets up Apprentice-style challenge with Hull Business School

A groundbreaking partnership between Hull University Business School and a thriving Hull-based distribution company has been announced.

In a boardroom, young entrepreneurial hopefuls wait nervously to present their marketing plans to an audience of seasoned professionals from the business world. Only one group can win the reward and a prestigious placement with the sponsor company awaits the team that gives the best presentation.

Rix Petroleum, an independent fuel distributors, is giving first-year business students a chance to shine with a marketing challenge, which allows them to apply their knowledge in the real world of work.

Rix worked closely with academic staff at the Business School to develop a marketing assignment that was closely aligned to the real-world demands of a modern business.

Rix Petroleum marketing manager James Brook explained: “For some time, there has been a disparity between what employers want and what prospective employees can offer.

“Employers often complain that graduates don’t have the practical skills that businesses need and lots of students coming out of university get quite a shock when they find out that theory isn’t the same as real life.

“This challenge is aimed at bridging that gap by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a real-life setting.”

“We gave them two presentations. In the first, we introduced the company, our markets and our customers. In the second, we demonstrated how we apply the sort of theory they have been learning about in our current marketing activity.

“We then asked them to take away what they had learned and, in groups, produce a comprehensive marketing plan for Rix, outlining strategies we could employ to enhance out business further.”

Using all the skills and techniques they would be expected to deploy once in employment, from carrying out a comprehensive market audit to outlining a promotional strategy, students were asked to write a formal marketing report to be presented to the firm’s management.

After hearing presentations from the groups with the five best marketing strategies, James Brook and director of Rix Petroleum (Hull) Ltd, Duncan Lambert, selected a winner.

After a further interview, two candidates from the successful team were each offered three-week placements with the company.

One of the successful candidates, Callum Jones, 19, said: “We felt really humbled and shocked to have won, but after working as a team for three months on this project it is wonderful to see our ideas come together. We are delighted about the chance to have a placement with Rix as it will be a fantastic addition to our CVs.”

James Brook added: “It was great to see how much the students have understood the company and our market. All the teams came up with really fresh thinking and ideas some of which we will be able to implement.”

Fannie Yeung, lecturer in marketing and business strategy at the Business School, said: “I was impressed by the high level of engagement with the project that was showed by our level four students on the marketing module. The hard work and creativity have been impressive.

“I am grateful to Rix and especially for the fantastic support from managing director Rory Clarke and James Brook throughout the semester.

“What’s even more pleasing about this project is that Business School students are able to gain valuable real-world experiences as they put theories taught in class into practice.

“This is certainly something we are keen on since it goes a long way to enhancing employability for our graduates.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .