Shell Step 2008
What is Shell Step?
Shell Step is a national scheme that places second year undergraduates into small and medium businesses or community organisations for an eight week paid work placement. Students undertake a specific work project driven by the needs of the host company.
This is much more than just paid work experience. The undergraduate will play a key role whilst placed with their host company during the summer. It also offers effective, value for money project development for the businesses.
Shell Step has been running since 1986 and has delivered over 21,000 successful projects during its summer work placements. In Essex and Suffolk Shell Step is managed by the Essex Development & Regeneration Agency (ExDRA) who bring together talented second year undergraduates and suitable businesses in both Essex and Suffolk during the summer vacations.
The benefits of the programme to business speak for themselves. One success story from Chelmsford is EnDCo (Energy Data Company Ltd – an electricity supplier serving large industrial and commercial consumers). EnDCo employed undergraduate Ian Jepson so that they could help their customers make substantial savings on their energy bills.
Antony Badger of EnDCo said: “We are very pleased with what Ian achieved over the summer. This is the third year we have taken part and I would definitely recommend it to other local companies. EnDCo operates in a complicated market where our clients face many hidden financial pitfalls. Ian’s “Triad Warning Service” tool will reduce some of these risks and bring significant benefits to everyone. EnDCo will be taking part again next year if we have a project that needs completing.”
