For the second summer in a row, we were delighted to invite undergraduate students from Imperial College London to join us for a day as part of the university’s Work Shadowing Scheme.

Led by Lucy Mills (Director of Operations), Jermaine Trotman (Product Executive) and Matt Lane (Digital Copywriter), we welcomed a total of nine students for an in-person work shadowing day across the summer, who were keen to learn more about marketing, consulting, operations, design and various other areas of a busy healthcare improvement consultancy.

The students were able to take part in department meetings, shadow preparation for our upcoming webinar series, discover more about our products, and get tips on what it takes to have a career in consulting, amongst other things.

They also took part in lunchtime walks and, on one of the days, a chance encounter with a YouTube sensation!

What is the Imperial Work Shadowing Scheme?

The scheme is designed to provide end of first year students with the opportunity to experience the realities of a professional environment within a certain industry. They are invited to question and learn from professionals to help inform their career and plan their next steps.

It is open to all first-year undergraduate students studying STEM subjects at the university, with priority given to students from low-participation groups.

Why did we get involved?

One of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) we have chosen as a company, as part of our wider Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, is a commitment to quality education.

And there seems few better ways of doing that than partnering with one of the world’s leading universities to offer a real-life taste of work.

“On a personal level, giving back is something I work hard to be conscious of, and do, so it’s great to work for a company that holds similar values,” Lucy said. “Having worked with students from Imperial over the last two years, I can truly say I continue to be impressed by the calibre of young people today and their enthusiasm for gaining professional experience to help them with their career choices. It’s always an enjoyable and rewarding way to spend a day with the students and I look forward to us supporting the scheme again next year.”

Matt added: “I really enjoyed taking part in the Imperial scheme, giving me the chance to help the next generation and pass on the knowledge that I have picked up during my working life so far. I found all the students who shadowed me to be friendly, engaged, articulate and inquisitive. If our future is in their hands, we can all rest easy that we’ll be going in the right direction.”

Reflecting on his experience, Jermaine commented: “It was great being part of the Imperial scheme, as I really enjoyed helping the students get a taste of work life, and maybe giving them a better idea of what they may want to do once they finish their university courses. The students were engaging and asked great questions - I'm sure they'll go on to have bright futures!”

“The team is incredibly inspiring” – feedback from the students

It’s all very well us saying how well the scheme went, but ultimately, it’s about the students and their experiences. And we’re thrilled to say the feedback we received was universally positive.

Here is a flavour of their reflections, in their own words.  

Haozhuang Dai: “Shadowing at Acumentice was an eye-opening experience. Contrary to my initial impression of the company providing consulting services for the NHS, they combine a deep understanding of complex real-world situations with extensive hands-on experience to truly help make the NHS better professionally. During my time there, I was particularly impressed by new initiatives, such as 'Evolve,' an online training platform focused on essential management and soft skills for NHS managers to fill the current gaps.”

Shen Li: “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to shadow the Acumentice team and learn about their work. The team was incredibly friendly and welcoming. I gained a better understanding of the different components of the company, including marketing, operations, consulting and graphic design. It was a fantastic opportunity to see how a company like Acumentice operates and hear about the positive impact it's having on the NHS.”

Julia Lauriola: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet and work alongside the Acumentice team, I learnt a lot and gained amazing insights into various roles and the skills needed to work in a healthcare improvement consultancy. The team is incredibly inspiring; very talented individuals who collaborate to improve and support the NHS in numerous ways. A huge thank you to Matt for organising such a wonderful day, and I look forward to seeing what’s next for Acumentice.”

Jiayu Xu: “Being my first work experience of this kind, I am very grateful for this opportunity to shadow the Acumentice team. I got to meet people from multiple departments and gained precious advice on marketing, consultancy, operations, and products. No doubt that the insights I gained today will be invaluable for me to progress with my future career decisions.”

Rucha Potdukhe: “My experience shadowing Lucy at Acumentice was both insightful and varied – I was able to speak with many talented people within operations, consultancy, product and marketing which gave me a well-rounded experience. I particularly enjoyed speaking to one of the consultants, Michael Watson, about his past career paths as it gave me insight and advice I needed to become more confident in my career choices.”

Douglas Bowering: “I had a fantastic day shadowing multiple members of the Acumentice team and learning more about what their organisation strives to achieve. The agenda that was created and provided to me by Jermaine was very informative. I gained valuable knowledge of the company that will aid me in future endeavours to help further my career confidence. I also had a fantastic walk in Shoreditch during a sunny lunch break, taking in the sights.”

Yihan Lin: “Being able to observe both the operational and marketing sides of the company, as well as meeting with the Principal Consultant and Product Executive, was incredibly insightful. I'm grateful to the entire Acumentice team for sharing so much during my work shadowing experience."

Siya Gupta: “My day shadowing Lucy was a great introduction to the world of healthcare consulting. The experience was immersive and I had the opportunity to learn about a diverse range of roles through meetings with experienced industry professionals and shadowing the team’s internal meetings. Thank you to the Acumentice team for making the experience fun and insightful!”

Hannah Wei: “This experience was incredibly valuable for me, as it was my first time stepping into a corporate environment beyond the academic world. I was also pleased to meet everyone at Acumentice, who were very warm and welcoming.”

A commitment to giving back

Even as an SME, we have always been keen to give back in various ways, from fundraising for our charity partner to carrying out company volunteering days and offering internships.

We were very pleased to be a host for the Imperial College Work Shadowing Scheme for the second year running and look forward to continuing our partnership again next year.  

Seeing what the students get from the experience is very rewarding, and helps us to know we’re on the right path in terms of helping to develop the next generation of healthcare professionals.

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