Developing leadership skills with The Student Consultancy

Students at Berkhamsted Sixth had the chance to develop their business skills as they engaged with local charities during The Student Consultancy programme.

At Berkhamsted Sixth, we are proud of our students’ strong sense of community spirit and desire to Serve Others. That’s why we offer the opportunity for students to undertake Oxford University’s highly successful Student Consultancy programme.

An innovative and unique programme, The Student Consultancy (TSC) equips students with key and demonstrable consulting and teamwork skills as they help local charities and community organisations. This year, students focused on two important local enterprises: Sunnyside Rural Trust and the Hospice of St Francis.

The scheme trains teams of students in essential Management Consulting skills as they explore solutions to a particular business issue faced by a local charity, not for profit organisation or social enterprise. TSC is now in its sixth year at Berkhamsted as an extension of the placements we offer through our Careers and Community Service Departments.

A key objective of the project is to encourage students to see volunteering and engagement with the local community as the norm, whilst gaining valuable business experience and developing key employability skills. These include independent learning and research skills, strategy, communication with clients, presentation and communication skills, teamwork, confidence, and real-life business experience. Most importantly, students learn to deliver – no matter what!

The skills that TSC offers to students makes it a popular choice among budding business and consulting students, providing a unique experience that stands out on a personal statement or CV. “I was interested in a career in consultancy after investigating specific roles in the business sector, and saw that this opportunity was available, so I decided to take it,” one student said. “It was all the more rewarding when I realised we were helping a Hospice!”

“It was a privilege working alongside the students,” said Zoe McGee, Deputy Manager of Sunnyside Rural Trust. “They really listened to the information that we gave them, and they took great care in finding suitable recommendations to further develop our cafe and farm shop. I look forward to implementing their suggestions and seeing them at the cafe.”

Would this year’s student consultants recommend the programme to others? Definitely! “It allows you to gain real world experience interacting with real clients,” one student said. “You get a fulfilling feeling knowing you have actually helped people.”