Kingston Business School has a long history of championing SME growth and development, from placements to in-class talks and live briefs, to consultancy projects and a Business Clinic for those in the beginning stages of their entrepreneurial journey.
Our placement students and SME partners are supported by dedicated central Placements and Employer Engagement Teams, who work with businesses to develop ringfenced opportunities for Kingston students and prepare students for the process of finding their own placements. Our Employer Engagement Team use the Handshake career platform to connect businesses with prospective student employees looking for placements, part-time work, or with recent graduates looking for full-time roles after graduation.
The University holds two Careers Festivals each year, encouraging students to engage with businesses, often SMEs, who are looking to recruit, inspire, or advise the next generation on how to start their careers. The Careers Festivals include various fairs, such as part-time jobs, placements, or sector-specific, where local businesses have a stand and advertise their work experience opportunities. This is a great platform for students to build their professional network and consider their next steps- whether joining a business or starting their own.
Our local connections include the London, Kingston and Surrey Chambers of Commerce, where we link with local SMEs. For example, as a patron member of the Kingston Chambers, we co-host events, and local employers come onto campus either as exhibitors or for talks and roundtable discussions. These are promoted to students as opportunities to build their professional capital. We also support the Chambers’ events by attending them and building relationships with their members.
We collaborate closely with alumni who have launched their own businesses, work within SMEs, or have completed the Help to Grow Management programme. This thriving Kingston University business community offers valuable support to current students, alumni, and local enterprises. Many alumni are eager to give back by providing real-world business challenges for students to tackle and offering dedicated placement opportunities.
We also receive funding from Santander Universities to help students build enterprise skills through internships and our early-stage founder incubator. A significant portion of these funded placements is dedicated to supporting graduate start-ups, feeding into our incubation programme by offering practical support such as market validation and developing social media strategies.
In summary
Kingston Business School is actively fostering a vibrant and inclusive business community, creating opportunities for students to gain practical experience and apply their learning, while helping shape the future workforce.
For more information please:
Visit our website Kingston Business School | Kingston University London
Contact Amanda Baker [email protected]
Get in touch Partnership and Business Engagement Team