The Present: How Does the Venture Matrix Scheme Function Currently?

The scheme is mostly aligned to term time/semesters, which is when students connect with organisations to deliver an applied project, which is managed and supported by the VM team and further supported and assessed by academics.

Clients are general based in the South Yorkshire area and projects generally happen in a face to face capacity, with the occasional project happening more digitally. Clients submit their projects via a Project Scoping Form and the Venture Matrix team advertise these projects out to the relevant students who choose which projects to work on within one of their modules.

VM colleagues facilitate the relationship between external clients, students, and academics, to generate an applied learning experience which enhances student employability whilst adding value to organisations. This process is completed over a 10 - 12 week period, which involves the follow elements:

• An initial meeting

• Visit(s) to client premises

• Mid-point review

• A final handover of work (presentation/report)
  

The Venture Matrix team help to show clients to rooms, book the rooms, source resources for students and support with the general logistics of the projects.

Outside of term time, the VM team carry out evaluations, meet with academic staff to assess need, plan for the following year, innovate with new ideas to support the applied curriculum, and recruit organisations to ensure the scheme is set up and ready to run for students.

• Client recruitment

• Module development (moving modules in to applied learning or now HSE)

• Academic support (helping academics understand the above)

• Reporting the figures from the above

• Creating processes to ensure the scheme runs smoothly
  

The team operate organically. Over several years, members have established their roles to support students, academic and external partners. The team evolve with the university in terms of what its strategy is and do their best to ensure it is met.

James Coope (2020)