The 100th Digital Advisor project is due to get underway at Keele University this month.
Linked to the University’s new Digital Society Institute, the programme provides local SMEs with the opportunity to engage with talented Keele students and graduates, employed as advisors, to work on bespoke projects designed to build digital capacity and capabilities.
Originally launched in May 2022, the programme is part-funded through a suite of funders including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), meaning there is no cost to eligible organisations.
Offering an array of digital skills from social media support and market trend analysis to website development, the Digital Advisor team, including Business Engagement Manager Philippa Richardson and Programme Manager Alice Whitehouse, work to match an advisor to each organisation’s bespoke project, ensuring that, on completion of their 40-hour duration, the business is in a stronger digital position.
Staffordshire business, Rockholt Acquisitions, benefitted from the knowledge and skills of second year Computer Science and Mathematics student, Immanuel, to develop an app to improve the enquiry process for engineers working on-site, taking it to a launch-ready stage.
Simon Chorley, Director of the industrial automation solutions provider, said: “We have been very impressed with the level of Keele undergraduate talent. So much so that we have kept our Digital Advisor Immanuel on as our IT Co-ordinator.
“The 40-hour model was ideal to engage with and the project has had a valuable impact on our business.”
Find out more about the programme, here.
