Techknowledgey Transfer

Petroc's Techknowledgey Transfer project will test the concept of providing support to SMEs through student projects. Young people on a range of Level 2 and 3 business, administration, enterprise and accountancy courses will work within SMEs, to combine each young person's digital confidence and knowledge and understanding of the latest technologies with the SMEs experience and expertise within their field of business to create and embed models of business and administration technology usage, tailored to each individual business, which are user-friendly and sustainable and which lead to genuine business efficiencies, freeing up business owners and managers to increase productivity and profitability, as well as benefiting from an improved work-life balance.

Participating businesses will initially benefit from a 1:1 diagnostic session to identify areas where technology adoption could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their business and administration processes, followed by up to two masterclasses to learn about relevant technology options and network with peers in similar circumstances.

As this is a research trial, approximately half of all participating businesses will then be randomly selected to work with a student, who will embed the use of one or more identified technologies within their business and administration processes. Students will be selected on a competitive basis for each participating SME to ensure a good match between student and business, and both the student and business will be support by expert tutors and/or business mentors.

We will undertake a robust evaluation of the impact, comparing and contrasting the short, medium and long-term effects on those businesses that are selected to engage with a student, and those that are not, primarily assessing the extent to which each option results in businesses adopting the use of business and administration technologies on a long-term and effective basis.